# Why is it so hot in So Cal **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611 "2012-09-13T17:06:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/1 "2012-09-13T17:06:35Z")
Man, if I wanted temps \>80 degrees I would’ve stayed in a state with a reasonable taxes and a balanced budget. ```auto ``` ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/2 "2012-09-13T17:11:41Z")
Yes. I expect September to be hot–but only inland, so that we who live on the coast may laugh at the rest of you. This past week has been overcast, muggy, and hot, which is three kinds of wrong. ---
**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/3 "2012-09-13T17:20:16Z")
It’s supposed to get hotter Friday and Saturday. At least Starbucks has rolled out their Fall drinks already, nothing like a hot salted caramel pumpkin latte when it’s 100 degrees out. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/4 "2012-09-13T17:36:34Z")
Oh just wait, the Santa Anas will be starting up before you know it! ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/5 "2012-09-13T17:36:35Z")
We’re really mostly a desert. Most of this area should be this hot. Only through massive urban engineering did we make most of this place liveable. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/6 "2012-09-13T17:47:50Z")
My wife and the cats are just barely holding on, praying for Fall to finally get here so they can be cool(er). This has been the muggiest Summer I can remember in SoCal, and that memory goes back 50+ years. Like the OP, if I wanted muggy, I’d move to Missouri or some other Mid-West hell-hole. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/7 "2012-09-13T18:40:42Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > My wife and the cats are just barely holding on, praying for Fall to finally get here so they can be cool(er). This has been the muggiest Summer I can remember in SoCal, and that memory goes back 50+ years. Like the OP, if I wanted muggy, I’d move to Missouri or some other Mid-West hell-hole. Haha, you guys out west are\* so\* spoiled. I went all last summer without an air conditioner. In _Chicago_. I’m glad I didn’t have to do without one this year, though… taking cold showers before bed (but still waking up sweaty at 4am every night) gets old after the first couple days. It’s actually been relatively pleasant here for the past few days. Come on, winter! ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/8 "2012-09-13T19:55:20Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > We’re really mostly a desert. Most of this area should be this hot. Only through massive urban engineering did we make most of this place liveable. get your logic outta my thread! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/9 "2012-09-13T20:23:54Z")
> [@amaguri](#): > > if I wanted temps \>80 degrees I would’ve stayed in a state with a reasonable taxes and a balanced budget. Something tells me that when seeking temps below 80 F, southern CA may not be the optimum place to look. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/10 "2012-09-13T20:27:02Z")
Lulz. My wife and I were at Joshua Tree a couple of summers ago. It was 116 degrees. Felt like about 85 to us. We wore a hat, carried water, and hiked around in it all day long. It was nice. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/11 "2012-09-13T20:42:20Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Haha, you guys out west are\* so\* spoiled. I went all last summer without an air conditioner. In _Chicago_. I’m glad I didn’t have to do without one this year, though… taking cold showers before bed (but still waking up sweaty at 4am every night) gets old after the first couple days. > > It’s actually been relatively pleasant here for the past few days. Come on, winter! Fuck winter. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/12 "2012-09-13T20:58:28Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Something tells me that when seeking temps below 80 F, southern CA may not be the optimum place to look. But it is, at least on the coast. San Diegans are used to the daytime temps being 60-75 degrees _all the time_, with nighttime temps dropping enough to get a pleasantly cool night’s sleep. Many coastal homes don’t even have air conditioning. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/13 "2012-09-13T21:08:26Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > But it is, at least on the coast. San Diegans are used to the daytime temps being 60-75 degrees _all the time_, with nighttime temps dropping enough to get a pleasantly cool night’s sleep. Many coastal homes don’t even have air conditioning. Indeed… my home does not have A/C, which hasn’t bothered me too much up until this year. Basically the last month has been pretty unpleasant unless you have a fan pointed directly at your face. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/14 "2012-09-13T22:05:22Z")
Well, I think I’m as far south in California as you can get, and it’s still gonna be 100’ish for a while. And that’s nice and cool-seeming now, lol. I need winter to get here so I can wear clothes. Most of my wardrobe is still long sleeves and sweaters and leggings and boots and long dresses. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/15 "2012-09-13T22:41:23Z")
It’s pretty much a sweatbath up here in San Jose, too. I moved from So Cal to Silicon Valley about 13 years ago, and it’s not a heck of a lot cooler here. My birthday is in a couple of weeks and I always remember that it’s hot and muggy and smoggy on my birthday, and therefore no fun to go out on such a day. I’d rather be born in March. ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/16 "2012-09-13T22:42:01Z")
Fuck this summer. I look better when I put on MORE clothes. I can do that to get warm. I can only take so many clothes off to get cool, and nobody wants that. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-hot-in-so-cal/634611/17 "2012-09-13T23:02:08Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > We’re really mostly a desert. Deserts are supposed to be dry. This last month has been humid. Yuck.