Weather: San Diego vs Seattle (Orange: appointed, how much, school)

[rosie74]

Hello all. I'm currently living in Seattle and, although I've only been here since June, I can already tell that I'm not going to last here for more than a year. My main complaint, like so many who move here, is the weather. More specifically, the cold temperatures, which get to me even more than the rain (although I don't like the rain either, it makes me cranky and depressed). I moved here from DC and lived in the northeast my whole life before coming out here, so I am used to much higher temperatures and humidity during the summer months. Since arriving here, I have slept with the heat on almost every night. During the mini-heat wave we had over the summer, I went and sat in the sun at sidewalk cafes, where most of the time I was the only person not sitting in the shade. The ultimate deal breaker came when I asked someone where Seattleites go to the beach during the summer and was met with a perplexed expression before being told that I could fly to Hawaii, Mexico, or SoCal. Fly? If I can't drive to a swimming beach (not a rocky coastline where you can't really swim) I don't want to live here.

So, I am looking at either driving back east or finding another area to live in on the west coast. My question is: what is the weather and temperature honestly like in the San Diego area? I have heard mixed things about this (i.e. that it is colder than people realize). Is it better than the Pacific northwest? How much better? How sunny versus foggy? Do I need a wetsuit to swim in July? On the east coast, I went to the beach in Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Cape Cod. Many people in DC go to Rehobeth, the Outer Banks in the Carolinas, or Florida. How do SoCal beaches compare? I know that the Atlantic is supposed to be warmer than the Pacific and the humidity is lower out west, but can you get in the water in the summer? Can I sit in the sun in a bathing suit without rushing to the hot tub every twenty minutes?

I'll be posting on the LA forum as well at some point, but I'm leaning more towards San Diego because I have friends there and it seem less intimidating than LA. I'm used to traffic, high cost of living, high population density, etc. from living in the mid-Atlantic. My main concern right now, before I try to move forward with a visit or a job hunt, is just the weather. Thanks!

[tom8503]

I've lived in Seattle almost my whole life (spent 4 years in eastern washington for school). I don't blame you for leaving. I'm moving to SD in two months. I go to the beach like once or twice a year in Seattle... because there isn't really any... unless you go to Golden Gardens or Alkai... they actually have sand and aren't covered with rocks! You'd have to go out to the peninsula here to find beaches, and there is no civilization out there. Plus you never know what the weather is going to be like, even in the Summer, as you said. I'm getting out for those reasons as well. I know this post doesn't help you with San Diego, but hopefully it motivates you to leave Seattle, lol.

[nullgeo]

Heh ... the OP's post deserves a place in the NW Forums' Hall of Fame ... to serve as a warning to the many who write in about "love the rain -- want to move to Seattle" etc. As I always respond: it ain't about the rain! It's the long, dark, perpetually gray, constant damp.

Well, good news!: if you don't like Seattle (I live north in the San Juan Islands of Puget Sound -- former Californian), you are sure to like San Diego -- at least weather-wise! Forewarned though, the entire Pacific coast is not beach friendly the way the Atlantic coast is (I grew up mostly on the Atlantic coast). The water is cold all year, with some southern California beaches getting bearable for a quick dip a couple months. It doesn't often get actually hot on the coast, either ... have heat waves where the temps rocket up for a few days at a time, but mostly it is just plain wonderfully pleasant all year. ... if you can stand pleasant

enjoy

[tom8503]

I can agree with what Nullgeo says. It doesn't really even rain that much here... above average for sure compared to mainly other parts of the country, but when it does it doesn't usually rain really hard like other parts of the country. But it is dark and gray ALL the time. We sometimes have awesome summers, but this summer that was not the case. I think it was the Summer of 08 where we had pretty nice weather from May through part of September, and I think even the Summer of 09 was better, but this last summer was really tough to read... and the rest of the year it was dark and depressing. I told myself back in February that if I was still miserable towards the end of the year that I was leaving, and so I'm following through on that.

That's not to say Seattle is a bad place though. Lots of culture, pretty open-minded people, very lush, and it is beautiful... when it's nice, and I can understand why a lot of people love it here, but it's not for everyone. The rain can be nice once in a while but it really tends to restrict what you can do, and I tend to be very lethargic when it gets dark and gray. But that's just me. I'm also leaving because I've never really lived anywhere else...

[xxxPerseverexxx]

San Diego and Orange County beaches: You will find sunshine and warmer weather for sure. But fyi the water at the beach can still be very cold. Im not a big beach person to start with because I dont want wrinkles and age spots but when I do go to the beach the water is often too cold to do more than just put your feet in. But if you enjoy sunshine and warmer temperatures you should still enjoy it here.

[sav858]

SD's coastal weather is very mild overall, basically in the 60's and 70's year round. Inland it's warmer and sunnier, mostly 70's and 80's. Some find Sd's coastal climate too cool but it is always comfortable. I usually wore shorts and flip flops year round but would need a sweatshirt for some days during winter or spring and usually at night during those times. Winter low temps generally are in the upper 40's to lo w 50's most of the time. Clouds tend to affect the immediate coastline, mainly in spring but also summer. "May Gray and June Gloom" are two terms that describe the coastal cloud cover that is prevalent during those two months. If you live just a few miles inland though the amount of cloud cover can be significantly less.

The water is cooler than the mid-Atlantic in summer by a few degrees on average but it is warm enough to get in without a wetsuit for MOST people, some always find it too chilly though. Water temps are usually upper 60's to low 70's in the water during summer. Some find that too cold but it's fine to most people as there are tons of people in the water w/o wetsuits during summer. I'm a big beach person and I love summer in San Diego for swimming in the ocean, except this past summer, which was awful and record breaking cold both air temp and water temp wise. Definitely don't expect anything close to the Carolina's and Florida in terms of warmth in the water or on land.

Coastal SD isn't as warm as the east coast in summer but is much warmer in winter. After living on the coast for 9 years in SD, anything below 65 was too cool and above 85 was too warm. If you like heat and warmth on the coast, Florida is probably better. Hawaii is the best imo overall though as it's not as hot as FL but warmer than SoCal. If you like comfortable temps that aren't too warm or cool, no better place than coastal Southern CA. And warmer temps can always be found inland, no beach inland but pools work.

[rosie74]

Thanks for the replies. The humidity on the east coast can be terribly oppressive during the dog days of summer, to the point where it can drive you indoors until the evening hours. It is more the complete lack of warmth and lack of sunshine that is getting to me here. I have spoken to people in Seattle who have been here for years and they keep telling me that everyone here takes winter vacations because the lack of sun gets to people so much. I got winter doldrums back east, but the things people are telling me here about the lack of sunshine in the winter are freaking me out. If I'm having trouble with things now, I can just imagine how I'll feel when the days get shorter. Thankfully, I'm not really tied to this area and feel free to shop around a bit for another locale. I don't need to live at the beach nonstop (although I love the ocean), I just want to be somewhere where I can spend even two or three weekends at the shore during the summer months. We get cooler weather right along the shoreline, especially in the evenings, on the east coast too, so that isn't a shock. I just need some more sun!

[sav858]

Winter is statistically sunniest time in San Diego as it's only cloudy when it rains, which isn't too often. There is very little marine layer/overcast clouds in winter along the coast. SD feels very bright in winter compared to the Bay Area, where I am now, so it will definitely be better than Seattle with longer days too in winter since it's much farther south.

The cooler ocean helps keep the humidity down, so its a trade off. Very few people along the coast even have AC, I've never had it in 9 years. And many don't even use heat, although I do because I'm a wuss, haha. Even if you live inland you'll be able to spend a lot more than just 2 or 3 weekends at the beach as most places are within 20 minutes of the ocean. If you want to escape the inland heat, the coast will almost always be comfortable. You don't need to really stay indoors in SD, you can just go to another part of the county and find comfortable weather. It's a very outdoors type city.

[f_m]

It's definitely better than the PNW if you want sun and little rain. You just need to pick how close to the coast you want. Since being close to the coast has more fog, but is cooler in the summer. Inland (10-20+ miles) doesn't really have fog and is warmer in general.

It can be overcast, but generally doesn't rain much, mostly sun/partly sunny around the year. I remember the times around Christmas having to turn on the air conditioner in my car.

[iskray917]

If you like sun and 80 every day, move about 10-15 miles inland. If you live right on the coast, you may be disappointed with the somewhat persistent marine layer.