October weather in SoCal (Santa Ana, Whittier: to buy, movies, living in)

[saibot]

Just spotted on Facebook:

"104 F temps in October make this Midwest boy very grumpy. I'm ready for cider, sweaters, and fall foliage. This is madness."

It made me giggle, because I know this individual has been living in SoCal for at LEAST 20 years and he's still thinking he should be wearing sweaters in October? I'm racking my brain to think of an October that didn't have a similar heat wave... Recalling the Whittier Narrows quake in October 1987. It was so hot we called it "Shake and Bake."

So why IS it that people who have lived here such a long time, even some natives, expect October to be stereotypical "Fall"? Are they the same people who grumble that it's June but it's too cold for swimming and not summer yet?

Then there are stores that buy into the " if it's October, it must be fall" nonsense. Last year on a particularly hot day I went to Trader Joe's for a watermelon-- I'd been getting good ones there all summer. Lo and behold, management had decided that it was now "Fall" so clearly too cold for watermelons, and had replaced them all with pumpkins.

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by saibot

I'm racking my brain to think of an October that didn't have a similar heat wave... Recalling the Whittier Narrows quake in October 1987. It was so hot we called it "Shake and Bake."

Exactly. Autumn is when the Santa Ana winds start blowing! It's almost always a hot month for SoCal. And I was out driving when Whittier Narrows happened!

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by saibot

Just spotted on Facebook:

"104 F temps in October make this Midwest boy very grumpy. I'm ready for cider, sweaters, and fall foliage. This is madness."

It made me giggle, because I know this individual has been living in SoCal for at LEAST 20 years and he's still thinking he should be wearing sweaters in October? I'm racking my brain to think of an October that didn't have a similar heat wave... Recalling the Whittier Narrows quake in October 1987. It was so hot we called it "Shake and Bake."

So why IS it that people who have lived here such a long time, even some natives, expect October to be stereotypical "Fall"? Are they the same people who grumble that it's June but it's too cold for swimming and not summer yet?

Then there are stores that buy into the " if it's October, it must be fall" nonsense. Last year on a particularly hot day I went to Trader Joe's for a watermelon-- I'd been getting good ones there all summer. Lo and behold, management had decided that it was now "Fall" so clearly too cold for watermelons, and had replaced them all with pumpkins.

In CA Fall starts in January and ends in January.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by expatCA

In CA Fall starts in January and ends in January.

You must be thinking of when foliage is off the deciduous trees. Even then you're exaggerating.

Fall starts when it does everywhere else, as far as the equinox is concerned. Even now there are patches of foliage changing color on trees that will drop it soon; the fact that it is usually not a grand and glorious display such as you'll find in New England and the East Coast/Midwest generally does not mean it is not happening. It may not be done until mid-December or so (the farther north and the higher in elevation in this state the sooner, remember) but it is happening.

Our ocean on one side, our mountains on the other and our general latitude conspire to make our autumns what they are. The fact that media portrayals of things (movies, cartoons, commercials, etc.) still lean heavily toward East Coast sensibilities does not help people who think we "have no seasons".

[chacho_keva]

Originally Posted by saibot

Just spotted on Facebook:

"104 F temps in October make this Midwest boy very grumpy. I'm ready for cider, sweaters, and fall foliage. This is madness."

It made me giggle, because I know this individual has been living in SoCal for at LEAST 20 years and he's still thinking he should be wearing sweaters in October? I'm racking my brain to think of an October that didn't have a similar heat wave... Recalling the Whittier Narrows quake in October 1987. It was so hot we called it "Shake and Bake."

So why IS it that people who have lived here such a long time, even some natives, expect October to be stereotypical "Fall"? Are they the same people who grumble that it's June but it's too cold for swimming and not summer yet?

Then there are stores that buy into the " if it's October, it must be fall" nonsense. Last year on a particularly hot day I went to Trader Joe's for a watermelon-- I'd been getting good ones there all summer. Lo and behold, management had decided that it was now "Fall" so clearly too cold for watermelons, and had replaced them all with pumpkins.

Guilty as charged!

I confess. I am one of those "Originally-From-Elsewhere" Californian's who's lived here 35+ years but still yearns for cooler mid October temps. I keep saying to myself, "It will cool down anytime now." Not by a long shot.

These heatwaves are truly awful, and made to feel worse by the thought that it's already October, yet we are still sizzling in the sun. Someone recently told me it will all be over by holloween. I hope so. Am so ready for a sweatshirt and thicker socks kinda weather.

[rosa surf]

Originally Posted by chacho_keva

Guilty as charged!

I confess. I am one of those "Originally-From-Elsewhere" Californian's who's lived here 35+ years but still yearns for cooler mid October temps. I keep saying to myself, "If you believe it hard enough, it will happen." Not by a long shot though.

These heatwaves are truly awful, and made to feel worse by the thought that it's already October, yet we are still sizzling in the sun. Someone recently told me it will all be over by holloween. I hope so. Am so ready for a sweatshirt and thicker socks kinda weather.

Lol...I am totally over the heat as well, it is tiring.

I always feel the change in climate a few days before Halloween.

[AnthonyJ34]

I was born and raised in Cerritos, so I know what types of weather October generally brings. I hate the heat, but I expect it. It'd be nice to live someplace that has four distinct seasons rather than what we have here: basically nine months of summer-like weather with about three months where it's a little wintry, a little fall-ish, and a little springy. But adding a little elevation would alter that pattern. Big Bear or Idyllwild would be nice.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by saibot

Then there are stores that buy into the " if it's October, it must be fall" nonsense. Last year on a particularly hot day I went to Trader Joe's for a watermelon-- I'd been getting good ones there all summer. Lo and behold, management had decided that it was now "Fall" so clearly too cold for watermelons, and had replaced them all with pumpkins.

Trader Joe's stops carrying sorbet and some of their ice cream, too, despite the fact that yesterday was a triple digit temperature day.

And how about department stores selling coats and heavy sweaters? Does anyone here buy this stuff before December?

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Trader Joe's stops carrying sorbet and some of their ice cream, too, despite the fact that yesterday was a triple digit temperature day.

And how about department stores selling coats and heavy sweaters? Does anyone here buy this stuff before December?

Better to buy when the demand is not high. I once was able to buy a winter coat at CVS at the end of March of one year for $10.00.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Growing up either in or at the edge of the coastal stratus zone, I always associated Sept and Oct (and mayyyyybe Nov) with great beach weather.