The climate of California: when to go to California

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California, the third largest state by extension of the United States of America has a number of climate types, ranging from arid desert climate of the south of the state, the semi-arctic climate of the higher mountain areas, through the Mediterranean climate of much of the state.

In the areas subject to the Mediterranean climate, ie the central coast and inland valleys, summers are hot and dry and winters are cool and wet. Along the coast fog is very frequent, caused by the presence of cold currents in the ocean water, usually just move a few kilometers inland to find a shining sun. In inland areas the cold in winter and hot in summer are more pronounced than along the coast.

THE CLIMATE OF CALIFORNIA: TEMPERATURES

The areas of south-eastern California have a desert climate, hot and dry like the Sahara desert, between these areas the hottest is the so-called Valley of Death, with average maximum temperatures of 47 ° C in July and average minimum of 31 ° C, and where we have reached extreme values of 57 ° C.

Temperatures are mild along the coast, in San Francisco the maximum average values ranging between 13 ° C in January and December and 23 ° C in September, while the average minimum temperatures vary between 5 ° C in January and 13 ° C in August and September. The city of Los Angeles is warmer with an average minimum temperatures of 9 ° C in winter and 18 ° C in August, the average maximum temperatures vary between 18 ° C winter and 25 ° C in August and September. Inland, the seasonal differences are more pronounced, in Fresno, the average minimum temperatures reach 2 ° C in December and 18 ° C in July, while the average maximum temperatures vary between 12 ° C of winter and 37 ° C in July.

THE CLIMATE OF CALIFORNIA: THE PRECIPITATIONS

The northern areas of California have a much more rainy and humid climate than the central and southern areas. In Northern California we have values ranging between 380 mm of rain in a year in the inner regions close to the border with Nevada, and 1,300 mm in coastal areas around Eureka, with peaks of 2,500 mm in Redwood National Park. Along the coast, in San Francisco, there are values around 500 mm per year, the rains fall generally between November and March.

Even the central areas of the country have varying values of precipitation, the central valley has the highest values in its northern part, while the southern areas have very low values which are close to the desert climate. The city of Fresno, in central California, has an average of 265 mm of rain in a year, the rains fall almost exclusively between November and March. The city of Los Angeles, located along the southern coast, receives on average 300 mm of rain per year, even here the rains fall generally between November and March.

The snow is in winter in most of the mountainous areas of the state, especially in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada. The presence of the mountains affect the climate, the slopes of the mountain ranges to the west are the wettest, while the eastern slopes are drier and often arid, in areas east of the mountains often the climate is desert.

WHEN TO GO TO CALIFORNIA

Il periodo migliore per una visita della California è quello tra aprile e ottobre, considerando che i mesi estivi presentano, nelle aree desertiche e semi-desertiche dello stato valori di temperatura notevolmente alti.

The best time for a visit in California is between April and October, whereas the summer months have, in the areas of desert and semi-desert of the state, have significantly higher values of temperature.

Climate of San Francisco.

The climate of Los Angeles.

THE CLIMATE OF CALIFORNIA: CLIMATIC TABLES

LOS ANGELES (39 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip. (mm)	Precip. days
January	9,3	18,1	68,8	6,0
February	10,0	17,9	82,6	6,6
March	10,9	18,0	47,0	5,8
April	12,1	19,1	17,8	2,8
May	14,1	20,1	5,6	1,2
June	15,8	21,4	2,0	0,6
July	17,6	23,2	0,8	0,5
August	17,9	23,8	1,3	0,3
September	17,3	23,7	5,3	1,0
October	15,2	22,5	14,2	2,3
November	11,8	20,5	28,2	3,4
December	9,3	18,1	52,1	5,2
YEAR	13,4	20,6	325,6	35,7

SAN FRANCISCO (39 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip. (mm)	Precip. days
January	7,6	13,8	114,3	11,7
February	8,6	15,7	113,3	11,1
March	9,2	16,6	82,8	11,0
April	9,6	17,3	37,1	6,5
May	10,6	17,9	17,8	3,8
June	11,6	19,1	4,1	1,5
July	12,3	19,2	0,0	0,3
August	12,8	20,1	1,5	1,0
September	12,8	21,2	5,3	1,7
October	12,1	20,7	28,4	3,9
November	10,1	17,3	80,3	8,9
December	7,8	13,9	115,8	11,6
YEAR	10,4	17,7	600,7	73,0

FRESNO (94 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip. (mm)	Precip. days
January	3,5	12,7	55,6	7,6
February	5,3	16,4	51,6	8,6
March	7,6	19,8	51,6	7,5
April	9,7	23,7	24,1	4,5
May	13,4	28,9	10,9	2,2
June	16,9	33,3	5,3	0,7
July	19,8	36,9	0,3	0,2
August	19,0	36,2	0,3	0,3
September	16,4	32,7	4,3	1,0
October	11,7	26,4	16,0	2,5
November	6,3	18,4	27,2	5,5
December	3,3	12,7	45,0	7,5
YEAR	11,1	24,8	292,1	48,1