SD--La Mesa--El Cajon: Differences in Weather? (San Diego, Laguna: how much, Home Depot, live)

[NY2Cairo]

So obviously further inland it gets hotter, but how much hotter? These areas seem very close to San Diego on the map but Ive read people saying that El Cajon gets hot but how much hotter than SD, and is the same true for La Mesa since its right next door?

Granted, I have lived in Tucson, but on the same token, I hated its weather, and Im originally a Northeasterner who prefers more mild weather.

Please tell me El Cajon and La Mesa arent like Tucson!?

[SD Observer]

Coastal San Diego is always cooler. When you get more inland it will be warmer. It can get real hot in the El Cajon "valley" center of town but the hills are cooler.

[TomSD]

Originally Posted by SD Observer

Coastal San Diego is always cooler. When you get more inland it will be warmer. It can get real hot in the El Cajon "valley" center of town but the hills are cooler.

Yeah the big difference is the valley vs hilltop locations. It gets a lot hotter as you get off the coast but being on a hill really helps.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by NY2Cairo

So obviously further inland it gets hotter, but how much hotter? These areas seem very close to San Diego on the map but Ive read people saying that El Cajon gets hot but how much hotter than SD, and is the same true for La Mesa since its right next door?

Granted, I have lived in Tucson, but on the same token, I hated its weather, and Im originally a Northeasterner who prefers more mild weather.

Please tell me El Cajon and La Mesa arent like Tucson!?

La Mesa will be 10-15 degrees hotter than the beach
El Cajon will be 15-20 degrees hotter or more

La Mesa will be cooler because it is at a higher elevation. El Cajon (Spanish for "the box") is a wide, shallow valley and it will trap heat and pollution which drives up temps.

I live exactly 7 miles from Downtown, maybe 9 miles from the beach and it is more than 100 degrees today, mid-80's at the beach.

[JoanWilder]

I've lived in La Mesa several years and I'd say it's usually about 10 degrees warmer here than it is on the coast. In the summer, that can be a pain, but the benefit is that it's almost always sunny here when it's foggy and overcast on the coast. We don't have to wait for the marine layer to burn off.

I was in Del Mar the other day and someone who lives there told me that during the whole month of July it had been overcast in the mornings. That rarely happens in La Mesa. Plus, we have a new library

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by Oscarrr

San Diego is mild year round since it’s on the coast. Winters rarely dip below 60 and summers stay below 80.

La Mesa also has a mild climate though summers are usually a few degrees hotter than coastal San Diego. The average winter day is in the 60s and summer days average around 75-80 degrees.

El Cajon is more extreme. El Cajon has HOT summers going above 100 in July and August. Winters are cool around 45-50 during the day, often dipping below 39 at night. Nearby Laguna Mountains and El Capitan cap with snow in the winter months.

You really have no idea what you’re taking about.

El Cajon may hit 100 a handful of days at most during the summer, and where did you get 45-50 during the day during the winter?

I can tell you first hand you need to up your summer temps for La Mesa too. 75-80? On a good day maybe? It’s gonna be in the 80’s+ everyday with temps just a bit cooler than El Cajon’s. I’m at the Home Depot in El Cajon all the time and the difference is often negligible compared to my house, year round.

El Capitan capped with snow during the winter?? That’s laughable. The Laguna Mountains will be “capped” with snow a handful of times a year lasting no more than a few days before melting.

You did get the generalization for San Diego’s coastline highs right, but that doesn’t really paint a true picture for the city. I lived no more than 2 blocks off the water for over 20 years and there’s a noticeable difference once you go even a few miles off coast, often much less. The city limits of San Diego stretch past the 15, it just benefits that the official tempersture is taken at Lindbergh Field. The majority of the city isn’t seeing those beach temps during the summer.

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by Oscarrr

Sorry about the El Capitan mistake, I realize that El Capitan does not get snow and I confused some of the mountains near the Laguna's that can be seen from the 8 with snow for the nearer El Capitan Mountain. According to Climate.com, El Cajon’s ante meridian average in January is 49 degrees, and usually ranges from 45-55 degrees throughout the day. Yes El Cajon isn’t over 100 very often, but for the purpose of this, it can get pretty hot and it’s certainly not uncommon. 2016 experienced the most days over 100.

I do agree that La Mesa does get hotter in the summer, but looking at daily averages here, La Mesa stays in the 75-80 range, but can go over.

Thank you for your constructive feedback.

With all due respect you’re misinterpreting the data. Ante meridiem is the AM hours. Maybe this is why you have much lower summer highs for La Mesa than what reality is? Anyone that lives in San Diego, or with any sort of knowledge of the county’s weather, knows El Cajon’s average daytime high during the winter isn’t 45-55. Nowhere in San Diego, or its suburbs, is this cold in the afternoon. Everywhere is going to be in the low to mid 60’s, on average.

[hitman619]

Originally Posted by Oscarrr

San Diego is mild year round since it’s on the coast. Winters rarely dip below 60 and summers stay below 80.

La Mesa also has a mild climate though summers are usually a few degrees hotter than coastal San Diego. The average winter day is in the 60s and summer days average around 75-80 degrees.

El Cajon is more extreme. El Cajon has warm summer days and temps sometimes reach 100 in July and August. Winters are cool around 45-55 during the day, often dipping below 39 at night. Nearby Laguna Mountains occasionally cap with snow in the winter months.

How long have you lived in San Diego?

[GreenAbyssA]

Originally Posted by NY2Cairo

So obviously further inland it gets hotter, but how much hotter? These areas seem very close to San Diego on the map but Ive read people saying that El Cajon gets hot but how much hotter than SD, and is the same true for La Mesa since its right next door?

Granted, I have lived in Tucson, but on the same token, I hated its weather, and Im originally a Northeasterner who prefers more mild weather.

Please tell me El Cajon and La Mesa arent like Tucson!?

It not only gets hotter further inland, the mentality of people changes as well. I think it has to do with the elevation.

[Medicallabscientist]

Originally Posted by NY2Cairo

So obviously further inland it gets hotter, but how much hotter? These areas seem very close to San Diego on the map but Ive read people saying that El Cajon gets hot but how much hotter than SD, and is the same true for La Mesa since its right next door?

Granted, I have lived in Tucson, but on the same token, I hated its weather, and Im originally a Northeasterner who prefers more mild weather.

Please tell me El Cajon and La Mesa arent like Tucson!?

Every mile you go inland its 1 degree hotter.