San Diego weather is much cloudier than you would think (Santa Ana: place to live, stats)

[wagonwheel]

First of all, don't flame me b/c I love San Diego and the weather is quite nice compared to most places. I might even be moving back myself so please don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to scare anyone from going to SD as it's a very nice place to live, however, I continue to read posts about people believing there is endless sunshine and warmth in San Diego which is simply not the case. A better description would be lots of sun mixed in with many foggy days and mild temperatures.

Have any of these newbies heard about the marine layer, the onshore flow, or June gloom? Fog, mist (or morning and early afternoon clouds are very common in SD the exception being when the Santa Ana winds are blowing or after a big storm when clear skies dominate. Cloudy (foggy) mornings are the usual as many days the fog and clouds don't burn off (clear up) until after 2pm or later. Some days the fog will then roll back in after a few hours.

I lived out there for about 3 years and yes the weather is quite nice BUT San Diego is notorious for being one of the more foggy and cloudy areas in SoCal. The exception is that the further you live inland from the ocean, the less clouds you will see.

I'm just trying to paint an accurate picture for some of the folks who don't know much about SD. It's a great place but the weather is just not sunny ALL the time. Look up the stats if you don't believe me.

Good luck to all!

[Over60]

And maybe that's not such a bad thing, Wagonwheel. Too much of anything can make us sick, right? As much as I love dark chocolate bars, I sure wouldn't want to eat them hour after hour. Blech!

And yes, I've been forewarned about the June Gloom. "This too shall pass," as they say. Life is about change, after all.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by wagonwheel

Have any of these newbies heard about the marine layer, the onshore flow, or June gloom? Fog, mist (or morning and early afternoon clouds are very common in SD the exception being when the Santa Ana winds are blowing or after a big storm when clear skies dominate. Cloudy (foggy) mornings are the usual as many days the fog and clouds don't burn off (clear up) until after 2pm or later. Some days the fog will then roll back in after a few hours.

The good thing is that this weather phenomenon is most common during late spring and early summer. I can honestly say (others would agree) that we have had very few foggy mornings/cloudy days since last July - except for when it rains, of course. There are certainly years when it's cloudier than others. I actually know people who love the fog and clouds! Not me, I'll take the sunny days.

Originally Posted by wagonwheel

Look up the stats if you don't believe me.

Here's a great weather link that gives the averages and stats of the major cities. Moderator cut: link to a competitors site removed

According to it, SD averages 146 clear days, 117 partly cloudy days and 102 cloudy days a year. Compare that to other cities, and you'll see we've got it pretty good. FYI, Seattle and Pittsburgh are the cloudiest places - blech

[LookingtoLeave]

Thanks wagonwheel. You just sealed the deal for me. I love cloudy weather-not too much though. To be honest, I was actually thinking this morning it kinda sucks that SD would be sunny ALL the time. I love a good mixture!

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by LookingtoLeave

Thanks wagonwheel. You just sealed the deal for me. I love cloudy weather-not too much though. To be honest, I was actually thinking this morning it kinda sucks that SD would be sunny ALL the time. I love a good mixture!

I wouldn't say it's a good mixture, unless you throw in a thunderstorm or three. That doesn't happen. That's okay, though...sunny and warm most of the time works for me.

[LookingtoLeave]

I love sunshine, but 365/year would be boring. Some people here say it's spring everyday. So it's good to now there's at least some variance.

[LoneStarJerry]

I've lived in San Diego County the majority of my life, I moved out to Arizona for a few years, and when I returned I was more cold than usual. It took me a little bit to get used to San Diego weather again. The desert definitely sees more sunny days than we do, but a lot depends on what area you live in. And sometimes the gloom isn't always just coastal. I live inland, and there have been times where it's cloudy here, but I'll drive to San Diego and it's bright and sunny.

When it comes down to it though I feel San Diego has the best weather in the country, and yes I'm a homer when it comes to this.

[LookingtoLeave]

How are the winters there? I remember the last time I was there (3-5 yrs. ago) in January it was so cold in the mornings. Believe it or not, I love 30-40 degree winters, which we actually get for a few weeks here in S. TX.

[wagonwheel]

There's quite a few defensive people on this board who perhaps just need to get over themselves. As I mentioned in my original post, I am a big fan of SD but simply was trying to paint a more accurate picture of the weather there. Obviously SD still is blessed with one of the best climates in the nation, however, it's just not sunny and warm all the time as some on this board would leave you to believe.

[jksouthbay88]

Uhhh sort of.Florida is the "Sunshine State"
There for 9 straight days and there was plenty of clouds.SD is more like sunrise-845 then 2 hours before sunset.There's plenty of sun here.