Do we underestimate and downplay how Great Sacramento weather really is? (Fresno: roof, cleaning)

[Chimérique]

I think it would be useful if the weather folks gave us the Average temp as well as the High and Low temps. Especially with places like Sacramento that have a diurnal range of 25-35 degree difference daily between high and low temps in the summer.

Comparing Sacramento with Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City and Sacramento have the same high temp(1 degree off) but, Sacramento's low temp is 13 degrees cooler so Sacramento averages 7 degrees cooler than Salt Lake City despite having the same high temp(1 degree off).

Comparing Sacramento with Portland: Sacramento is actually cooler than Portland for many hours despite having a high temp that is 11 degrees warmer than Portland, but Sacramento's low temp is 5 degrees cooler so Sacramento averages only 2 degrees warmer than Portland.

*Indicates heat index temps. Rounded-up if average was half a degree or more.

For example,

July 18, 2020 Tomorrows Forecast:

Phoenix 110/87 - Average 99F
Las Vegas 110/83 - Average 97F

Austin *102/74 - Average 88F
Atlanta *99/74 - Average 87F
New York City *98/74 - Average 86F
Fresno 102/65 - Average 84F
Salt Lake City 96/70 - Average 83F
Riverside 97/64 - Average 80F

Sacramento 95/57 - Average 76F
Portland 84/62 - Average 74F
Los Angeles 83/64 - Average 74F
San Jose 89/58 - Average 74F

Stinson Beach - 69/53 - Average 61F

[Chimérique]

Clarification to my above post:

My comments about Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Portland are for the forecast of July 18, 2020. I am not saying that the average temp for these cities is always as commented above.

While it is essential to indicate the High and Low Temps, we rely "too much" on them.. Adding the Average Temp will give you a better idea of how hot or cold, it will be throughout the day.

For example, for July 18, 2020, both New York and Sacramento have a forecasted high temp in the mid to high 90's. But the Average forecasted temp for Sacramento is 76F while New York City's forecasted Average temp is 86F. With one number you see that it is going to average 10 degrees cooler throughout the day and night for Sacramento compared to New York City for July 18, 2020.

[shelato]

If they did that, I think it should be the average heat indexed temp for the day.

[mixxalot]

This week cooled a bit thank heavens as that one weekend over 100+ was brutal.

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Clarification to my above post:

My comments about Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Portland are for the forecast of July 18, 2020. I am not saying that the average temp for these cities is always as commented above.

While it is essential to indicate the High and Low Temps, we rely "too much" on them.. Adding the Average Temp will give you a better idea of how hot or cold, it will be throughout the day.

For example, for July 18, 2020, both New York and Sacramento have a forecasted high temp in the mid to high 90's. But the Average forecasted temp for Sacramento is 76F while New York City's forecasted Average temp is 86F. With one number you see that it is going to average 10 degrees cooler throughout the day and night for Sacramento compared to New York City for July 18, 2020.

There is one shortcoming to such an average, which is that it basically calculates twelve hours at the high temp and twelve hours at the low temp. What it doesn't consider is the temps at different times of day, or what the temps are while most people aren't sleeping, for example. So I'd say such a daily average isn't totally useful. But it is often used in meteorological records.

I remember camping on the beach in South Lake Tahoe many years ago and being shocked by now warm the evenings were, even up until midnight. At 6 am I was shivering in 38f temps, but as soon as the sun came up, it was warm again. But it was only cold for a few hours.

Similar example: during recent warm spells in Sac, you guys were repeatedly more than twenty degrees warmer than my zip code in SD late into the evening, but by daybreak, we were the same temp. Just using the low for a daily average wouldn't give you a realistic idea of how the temps were distributed during most of the day.

But yes, it's a cool statistic to look at those numbers. I remember growing up and having as terrible heatwave in August of 88, where it was 110 in the day and 70 at night. That was a daily average of 90f! And for places like Vegas or Phoenix, that's nothing!

[roadwarrior101]

As a Bay Area resident, I'd say that Sacramento's climate is good, but not great. I do think the days tend to get a little bit too hot, but completely agree that the evenings are usually glorious (except for a rare extreme heat wave). I think compared to the rest of the country, it has a pretty nice climate, especially since there's no humidity.

I also am not a huge fan of the lingering Tule Fog, where it is frequently cold and damp in the winter time, but I do know that's been significantly diminished over the years.

Finally, I don't think the air quality is great there. Its definitely not as bad as Fresno or Bakersfield, but I still wouldn't call it good.

With all that said, I do think the climate is under-rated overall, but then again, it has stiff competition from the coastal CA communities.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by shelato

If they did that, I think it should be the average heat indexed temp for the day.

That would be fine and more useful in summer. Any other reason why?

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by tstieber

There is one shortcoming to such an average, which is that it basically calculates twelve hours at the high temp and twelve hours at the low temp. What it doesn't consider is the temps at different times of day, or what the temps are while most people aren't sleeping, for example. So I'd say such a daily average isn't totally useful. But it is often used in meteorological records.

I remember camping on the beach in South Lake Tahoe many years ago and being shocked by now warm the evenings were, even up until midnight. At 6 am I was shivering in 38f temps, but as soon as the sun came up, it was warm again. But it was only cold for a few hours.

Similar example: during recent warm spells in Sac, you guys were repeatedly more than twenty degrees warmer than my zip code in SD late into the evening, but by daybreak, we were the same temp. Just using the low for a daily average wouldn't give you a realistic idea of how the temps were distributed during most of the day.

But yes, it's a cool statistic to look at those numbers. I remember growing up and having as terrible heatwave in August of 88, where it was 110 in the day and 70 at night. That was a daily average of 90f! And for places like Vegas or Phoenix, that's nothing!

Reporting on and forecasting on a daily AVERAGE temperature is way more useful in a place like Sacramento than San Francisco, or Phoenix, or even the high Sierra because of Sacramento's huge diurnal 25-35 degree range in the summer.

When we focus more on the high temp, over the low temp, we are doing ourselves a disservice in Sacramento because our lows are so low and those lower comfortable temps last well into non-sleeping hours. For example, when you focus only on a high temp of 95F you are completely negating the fact that for 8 hours between 6am and 2pm it was not only comfortable it was down right cool.

I agree, I've had the same experience in the Sierras with the low temps in the summer. We would get up before sunrise to hit the creek for trout fishing and it would be in high 30's to low 40's but a little after sunrise it would be comfortable with a jacket.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

As a Bay Area resident, I'd say that Sacramento's climate is good, but not great. I do think the days tend to get a little bit too hot, but completely agree that the evenings are usually glorious (except for a rare extreme heat wave). I think compared to the rest of the country, it has a pretty nice climate, especially since there's no humidity.

I also am not a huge fan of the lingering Tule Fog, where it is frequently cold and damp in the winter time, but I do know that's been significantly diminished over the years.

Finally, I don't think the air quality is great there. Its definitely not as bad as Fresno or Bakersfield, but I still wouldn't call it good.

With all that said, I do think the climate is under-rated overall, but then again, it has stiff competition from the coastal CA communities.

A few things to note:

Tule fog has not only been diminished in Sacramento for the last 8 years it's practically non-existent. The Coast has always had way more coastal fog all year long compared to Sacramento's winter fog.

The amount, density, and duration of Tule Fog both during a given day and throughout the winter season varies throughout the Central Valley, for example, Sacramento has always had the least amount, the least dense, and the least pervasive throughout the day or night.

I actually miss the winter tule fog as it was just another characteristic to having a distinct seasonal change, of having a "real' winter. Again, comparing Sacramento with the rest of the nation a Sacramento averages less fog than most other cities.

[Igor Blevin]

I went for a walk at 9 pm last night and I was almost cold. It brought to mind all of those late July days in the past that were 105-degrees plus with hot still nights where it was still 75 or 80 degrees the next morning.

It was such a pleasant walk, I forgot it was almost August. Amazing.