We’re coming to Los Angeles from Australia for a two week holiday on 23 January. I must say, I’m pretty confused about the temperatures I’m seeing when I google - 32C ? (89.6F) - that’s even hotter than it is here in Brisbane in the middle of summer.
Is this usual? Is there some sort of mini heat-wave going on?
(I want to wear my wintry things - don’t want to be packing for two seasons!)
Yes, there is a heat wave in the western U.S. right now. I live in Colorado and it will be around 20°C tomorrow, about 4°C above normal.
Things should be back to normal in a week or two, and the long-range forecasts indicate that it may be below normal in the latter part of the month. Keep an eye on the forecasts up until your departure.
“Winter in Los Angeles” is an odd phrase to Americans.
Then why are you going to Los Angeles? It’s never really winter there–at least not by Canadian standards. If you want winter this time of year–snow, cold, and so on–come to Canada.
Couple things to consider. First it depends on where you are in Los Angeles as the weather varies greatly from place to place. For example, I live near the beach where it is very cool (sweater/jacket weather), but inland can be much warmer. Also, there is very little humidity here so (e,g.) 80 F can feel very comfortable here, whereas 80F in South Carolina can feel very hot and oppressive. Best advice is to dress in layers. No need to pack a winter coat, but do pack sweaters and jackets, short sleeved shirts, long sleeved shirts. Layers are also useful because the weather fluctuates a lot throughout the day. Mornings and evenings can be chilly, but afternoons warm.
Yes it is warm here right now, but this sort of thing happens a couple times each winter.
Daytime temperatures are usually about 60°F - 75°F (16°C - 24°C). Nights can be cold with
temperatures going down to 50°F (10°C). Out in the desert or mountains it can get down
to the freezing point. Bringing clothing that can be layered is a good idea.
I had to smile, Spoons. I meant wintry as in an Aussie winter, where you wear jeans and a light jacket, maybe a scarf. 
I’m on a tight budget, so I can’t really outlay for coats and gloves and thermal underwear (or whatever!) that I would never use again. A snowy Canada holiday sounds great, though.
Thanks for the information everyone, and your great suggestions. We’ll be traveling all over, and driving to Las Vegas as well. (I know it’s cold there in the desert.)
I hope it does cool down in the next few weeks - I was anticipating temps of around 22C (72F) not 32C (89.6F) I had no idea!
I will definitely be layering and making sure to bring some short-sleeved shirts as well.
I realize this won’t be as surprising to an Australian as it is to an European, but check out the size of the place. Yes, the area covered by the term “Los Angeles” is large enough and rugged enough (even if “rugged” isn’t quite what comes to mind when one hears “Los Angeles”) to have several different climates.
Remember to carry a jacket even if the weather’s gorgeous and you think you don’t need it; Americans love their A/C, so you may walk into a store and find yourself layering up.
No, L.A. doesn’t get true winter but it’s warm this year even by SoCal standards.
Uggh . A/C is my bugbear - I have to wear a jumper at work all year round. So thanks for that tip.
Walking the Strip at night in late January will be enough cold for you. Don’t let the current little lapse fool you…the wife is positive that we are in for a cold winter, with snows down to below 3000’. So far she has been totally wrong, but I wouldn’t put it past the weather to dump a couple of big Alaskan storms on us late Jan./early Feb.
I moved away from L.A. eight years ago. Here I find myself driving along with my shirtsleeves rolled up and my arm out the window on days that in L.A. would find me wearing a warm jacket. Someone said it gets ‘cold’ there at 50ºF. Yesterday I was marveling how warm it was at 50. (The morning news just said that the sale of Winter gear is down 15%.) Not that I’m complaining!
Personally, I preferred hopping in the ol’ Cessna for that trip. But driving affords some nice scenery for those of us who like deserts. I always liked seeing the Zzyzx Road sign. No reason; I just like it. About half-way between Barstow and Las Vegas is the tiny town of Baker. (Landed there once.) ‘Gateway to Death Valley’, they call it. It’s home to The World’s Tallest Thermometer. I was always amused at the giant phallus standing next to Bun Boy Restaurant (now closed). I liked to stop at The Mad Greek for a bite.
Other things not mentioned:
Because Los Angeles is so geographically large, you get a broad range of climate. Where I stay when I’m here, close to the coast, it’s generally cool most of the year, and the temperatures only seem to move in a 10-20 F band, with a few rare exceptions. Inland it can be more extreme, getting very hot in the valleys, and very cool to cold once you get some altitude. Note, I live in Florida but work in El Segundo (town directly south of LAX) and Temecula (inland and a bit south with enough sun to be “wine country”. Florida actually gets colder, it’s been at freezing the last few days, but then it can warm up to hot quite quickly.
I’m usually around during the work week, let me know if you need help with anything while you’re here.
Thanks for the offer, ShibbOleth, that’s very kind of you. When you say temps range in the 10 - 20 F, boy - I hope you meant C, because that’s pretty damn cold.
And yes, I love deserts. I’m so looking forward to the drive to Las Vegas. I’m gonna feel like I’m in a Hollywood movie! (yeah I know, but humour me)
It’s our intention to do a thorough tour of one city (LA), rather than a few days (or hours) at touristy spots around the US. IME, one gets better memories by staying in one spot and really soaking it up.
I’ve got a few quirky things I want to see - sites of the 1992 riots, the Compton ( I hear there’s a good donut shop there), and some Republican party stuff (it’s for my son.)
Keep in mind that even when it does get hot during the day, it will cool off quite a bit at night (well, by L.A. standards). While it may get close to 30C during the day, it will be in single digits at night.
The sites of the 1992 riots, and, assuming you mean the city of Compton, are not places to roam aimlessly. Be careful. However, if you do decide to go in that direction, consider stopping by the Watts Towers.
Republican party stuff? In LA??? Perhaps you mean the Nixon Library? If so, it is out in Yorba Linda, Orange County, which is a good bit from LA proper.
Well, hopefully you’ll visit someday. Have a great time in LA!
Some of my best days in LA have been in the winter. After a good storm clears out the smog the views can be amazing. There are certain spots where you can see the ocean, the skyscrapers downtown, the Hollywood sign and snow in the San Gabriels…rare, but it does happen.
Las Vegas is definitely a high touristy spot, and about a 5-to-6 hour drive. You can see the desert much closer than that, though. If you’re into art museums, the Getty Museum is a MUST SEE!
Why Los Angeles in particular? Permit me to suggest the San Francisco area instead, including the immediately surrounding areas. Vastly prettier all-around, and at least as much interesting stuff to see and do (actually, more, IMHO). No desert nearby, though. You can even find Republicans in San Francisco, if you look hard enough. (Try going inland about 2 hours to the San Joaquin Valley, people are more conservative around there.)
San Francisco Bay fu.
Golden Gate Bridge fu. (Has a sidewalk. You can walk across it.)
Golden Gate Park, including California Academy of Sciences fu.
Exploratorium fu.
Palace of Legion of Honor fu. (That’s a classical art museum.)
Redwood forests fu. (Infinite hiking trails!)
Marin County fu.
Silicon Valley fu.
Alcatraz fu.
It goes on and on . . .
Weather may tend to be a little chilly and wet this time of year (January through March or so).
I believe he meant that the temperatures FLUCTUATE by 10-20 degrees. For example, today the weather at the beach was a high of 78F and a low of 59F. So unlike many places where the temp is stable throughout the day, LA weather fluctuates from morning-day-night by a relatively wide range.
FYI your “winter clothes” would be perfect right now. Everyone is wearing boots and scarves, but right now due to the mini heat wave, they are wearing short sleeved shirts under thier sweaters/jackets and taking their scarves off during the afternoon heat. In the evenings, the scarves and jackets (and even mittens!) are put back on.
FYI, if you want to do something the locals like to do, consider a Gondola ride through the canals of Napals (Long Beach, CA-about 40 minutes south of LAX and worth the trip). It’s a beautiful way to see how the locals live and the weather is perfect for it. YOu can also bring a bottle of wine and a picnic for no add’l charge,or you can order stuff to eat drink though Im pretty sure you have to order food in advance.
Library Boy, I admit I’m not up to speed on American politics, that’s my son’s forte, not mine. So you’re saying there is no representative of the Republican party in Los Angeles? Very interesting, and unlike Australian politics, if so!
Googling the Nixon Library, that is now a must - thank you.
Senegoid, I have been tempted by Canada and now San Francisco. But I’m afraid the die has been cast. It’s Los Angeles, and too late to change. (We have a few shows etc booked). I wish I had the money to do it all. I know that Las Vegas is touristy, but what can I say? I can’t resist.
Thanks Enola Gay - sounds just like an Aussie winter, which is what I expected in the first place, until I saw those high temps. Ah yes, and I see what ShibbOleth meant now.
