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

[JohnS_15]

Yeah it's my first summer in Sac and I have been surprised at the fluctuations of the temperature. It's very pleasant in the mornings generally and pretty comfortable until about noon most days. The late afternoon and early evening heat can be pretty intense on the days when the delta breeze is not strong and doesn't really cool off until after 10pm. On the days when the breeze comes up it's very pleasant to sit outside in the evenings and open up all the windows to cool off. It seems it's about half of the week where the delta breeze is strong versus when it weakens and you get those 95-100+ degree afternoons. Does it continue in that sort of pattern all summer?

I have little kids that go to bed around 7pm and so often have to use the AC in the evenings as the house is still pretty toasty at that hour. If I didn't I probably wouldn't use the AC that much at all.

I'm curious...how is the late summer and Fall where typically the bay area and coastal regions get the Indian summers and winds blow offshore removing the delta breeze element? During those times I've sometimes found it can be uncomfortably hot in Oakland or even San Francisco as most places have no AC.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by JohnS_15

Yeah it's my first summer in Sac and I have been surprised at the fluctuations of the temperature. It's very pleasant in the mornings generally and pretty comfortable until about noon most days. The late afternoon and early evening heat can be pretty intense on the days when the delta breeze is not strong and doesn't really cool off until after 10pm. On the days when the breeze comes up it's very pleasant to sit outside in the evenings and open up all the windows to cool off. It seems it's about half of the week where the delta breeze is strong versus when it weakens and you get those 95-100+ degree afternoons. Does it continue in that sort of pattern all summer?

I have little kids that go to bed around 7pm and so often have to use the AC in the evenings as the house is still pretty toasty at that hour. If I didn't I probably wouldn't use the AC that much at all.

I'm curious...how is the late summer and Fall where typically the bay area and coastal regions get the Indian summers and winds blow offshore removing the delta breeze element? During those times I've sometimes found it can be uncomfortably hot in Oakland or even San Francisco as most places have no AC.

That's the key: we have and do use A/C like most other cities across the USA, unlike much of the Bay Area.

Some things will make a big difference in how hot your house gets:

Shade: Big trees that shade the south side of your house or all sides of your house.

Good insulation.

Location within the Sacramento Metro: Downtown/midtown and older neighborhoods surrounding the central grid benefit more from the Delta Breeze more than suburbs, in conjunction with big shade trees.

Btw, It was still only 78F at 1pm in Sacramento today which is about average so far this month.

Your acclimatization will depend on where you lived before.... May I ask where you lived before?

[Chimérique]

Couldn't help but check these temps on our walk last night at 9:30pm June 22, 2015

Portland - 68F
Sacramento - 68F

Austin - 88F
Phoenix - 99F

[JohnS_15]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Your acclimatization will depend on where you lived before.... May I ask where you lived before?

I've lived all over California including the San Fernando valley in Los Angeles which gets it's share of 100+ days in the summer. For the last 15 years or so though I've lived by the coast which has made me a bit soft.

Interestingly I heard one of the golfers at the senior open interviewed this morning and they asked him how he's finding the heat out here in Sacramento... He replied that he just came from Palm Springs which was 115 degrees and Sacramento feels like stepping into a cold front!!

I haven't found the afternoon heat too troublesome yet as long as it's been cool in the night and mornings. It's those Fall days after an already long hot summer where you get those dry desert winds and no delta breeze that I foresee as getting tiresome.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by JohnS_15

I've lived all over California including the San Fernando valley in Los Angeles which gets it's share of 100+ days in the summer. For the last 15 years or so though I've lived by the coast which has made me a bit soft.

Interestingly I heard one of the golfers at the senior open interviewed this morning and they asked him how he's finding the heat out here in Sacramento... He replied that he just came from Palm Springs which was 115 degrees and Sacramento feels like stepping into a cold front!!

I haven't found the afternoon heat too troublesome yet as long as it's been cool in the night and mornings. It's those Fall days after an already long hot summer where you get those dry desert winds and no delta breeze that I foresee as getting tiresome.

Cool beans! on the golfer.

Regarding the fall, higher latitude in Sac not the same as SoCal, shorter days mitigate for lack of an onshore push. The off-shore Santa Ana type conditions don't really have a big impact on Sac.

Note: the drought is having a huge impact; it's normally greener here, not just because we can't water more but because our trees need the ground water, pray for a deep snow pack and healthy steady soaking rains this coming winter.

[Chimérique]

In the fall, Sacramento still has the huge range of 25-40 degree difference from lows to highs, but it is achieved not because of the Delta Breeze so much, but because of Sacramento's higher latitude which means less intense sun than SoCal. Also, the shorter days in the fall mitigate for a lack of an onshore push.

The off-shore Santa Ana type conditions don't really have a big impact on Sac. Instead, in the mid to late fall, we have cool north winds, dry, but cool.

[JohnS_15]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

In the fall, Sacramento still has the huge range of 25-40 degree difference from lows to highs, but it is achieved not because of the Delta Breeze so much, but because of Sacramento's higher latitude which means less intense sun than SoCal. Also, the shorter days in the fall mitigate for a lack of an onshore push.

The off-shore Santa Ana type conditions don't really have a big impact on Sac. Instead, in the mid to late fall, we have cool north winds, dry, but cool.

Right on. I love the fall in general but those dry winds can be pretty brutal no matter where you are. The static electricity and really dry skin is no fun. I like it later in the fall after a few rain storms and the leaves all change -- I visited Sac end of October last year and it was stunning with all the trees changing and the reflections along the river.

Yes I will be praying for lots of rain and snow this year. This drought is very scary indeed,

[caligirlz]

Thank to bulldog for giving me the heads up on triple digits coming this week.

Thurs/friday

Sac 104/100
Folsom/EDH 106/102
Lincoln 108/104
Fresno 108/106
Visalia 106/106

[enigma99a]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

Thank to bulldog for giving me the heads up on triple digits coming this week.

Thurs/friday

Sac 104/100
Folsom/EDH 106/102
Lincoln 108/104
Fresno 108/106
Visalia 106/106

Weather.com is showing:

Sac | Fresno

Wed 97 | 100
Thu 104 | 107
Fri 99 | 107
Sat 91 | 102
Sun 93 | 100
Mon 97 | 102
Tue 101 | 105
Wed 102 | 106
Thu 99 | 104


Difference is that Sac is low to mid 60s at night versus mid 70s -- meaning much cooler mornings which you could mow the lawn etc.

[Chimérique]

We will see what really happens in the next days regarding those forecasted temps. Could be that it's a lot hotter, could be a lot cooler.