What's the weather like in Los Angeles?
Location
Long known as the "City of Angels", Los Angeles is a coastal city that is as diverse as the people who live there. Located in California, on the west coast of the United States, Los Angeles hosts nearly 41.4 million visitors each year and over 3.8 million people call the city home. With its Mediterranean climate and glamorous atmosphere, it's no wonder LA is a hit for residents and visitors alike. The city is known as a major entertainment hub for movies, music, dance and other forms of entertainment and many a star has made his or her start in LA.
The second largest city in the United States and largest in California, Los Angeles is made up of many smaller communities and neighbourhoods including Hollywood, San Fernando Valley and Crescenta Valley. The greater metropolitan Los Angeles area, which has a population of over 18 million, includes well-known cities such as Long Beach, Anaheim, Santa Monica, Pasadena and Newport Beach.
Climate
The weather in Los Angeles stays fairly consistent throughout the year, with high temperatures and plenty of sun. The climate in Los Angeles follows the typical Mediterranean weather patterns, with wet and mild winters and hot and dry summers.
The city's coastal location on the Pacific Ocean and its close proximity to mountains are both factors in its climate, which is often recognized as a 'micro-climate' with particular factors affecting the city. The mountains act as a barrier to cooling winds that blow from the colder parts of North America, and they also act to keep in the warmer winds that blow north from Mexico. The Pacific Ocean provides cooling sea breezes which often come as a welcome relief in the height of summer, and the ocean also moderates winter temperatures, keeping them a few degrees warmer than other locations that lie at similar latitudes.
Weather Hazards
Earthquakes
Los Angeles sits in the 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an area extremely prone to earthquakes. Numerous fault lines run under the LA area, including the destructive San Andreas Fault. Nearly 10,000 earthquakes happen in the area each year, but most are undetectable.
Summer Weather in Los Angeles
Summer is peak tourist season in Los Angeles, when the weather is at its best. The sun shines down on the city and the weather is bright and dry, making it an ideal time to relax on the beach.
Temperature
Though the climate can vary between inland and coastal regions, the temperatures is always warm to hot in Los Angeles in summer. Average temperatures in June are 19°C rising to 22°C in July and August, while high temperatures peak at 28°C in August, the hottest month of the year. However, the farther inland you go, the more extreme the summer temperatures, with inland temperatures up to 10°C higher than in the coastal areas.
On occasions, the temperature has been known to rise into the thirties, when atmospheric high pressure cuts off the usual coastal breezes which cool the region. At these times, it is advisable to seek shade in cool, air conditioned buildings and stay hydrated. Luckily temperatures cool down at night, with lows of between 13°C and 16°C, offering some relief from the heat.
Rainfall
July and August are the driest months of the year in LA; in fact, there is no rainfall on average, so visitors needn't worry about wet weather ruining their trip. The chance of rainfall increases slightly in June and September but it is hardly worth mentioning, with just 3mm in June and 5mm in September. In general, summers in Los Angeles are perfect if you're looking for warm, dry beach weather.
Sunshine Hours
Sunshine levels are consistently great throughout the season, with 13 gloriously sunny hours every day from June to August. However, a weather pattern known as June Gloom can occur in early summer (most commonly June) which results in cloudy, overcast skies, cool temperatures and sometimes fog.
Autumn Weather in Los Angeles
While summer and winter are the main distinguishable seasons in LA, autumn is a short shoulder month that sees the weather change slightly.
Temperature
Summer temperatures stay in the twenties well into September, but start to decrease in October, which has an average temperature of 18°C. High temperatures can still feel very warm at this time of year, rising to 24°C on the hottest days, while even November, just prior to winter, sees average highs of a pleasant 23°C. Lows never drop below 10°C.
Rainfall
The first drops of sporadic rain appear in autumn after the very dry summer season, but the region is still relatively rain-free. There's just 15mm of rain in October and 31mm in November, which means that most days will remain dry (there's just 2-3 wet days a month on average).
Sunshine Hours
Sunshine levels also drop, but there's still plenty of time to soak up the rays on one of Los Angeles' beaches. Autumn sees between 9 and 10 hours of sun every day.
With sunshine, low levels of rain and comfortable temperatures that never get too high, autumn is a great time to visit downtown Los Angeles if you want to explore the sights without feeling hot and sweaty.
Winter Weather in Los Angeles
Temperature
Winters in Los Angeles are short and mild. Temperatures are at their lowest of the year, but are still warm enough to be comfortable in just a T-shirt most days. Average temperatures range between 13°C and 14°C from December to February, but highs can still reach peaks of 19°C.
Occasionally, high pressure systems bring winds known as Santa Ana from the dessert to the city, which results in hot, dusty weather, even in winter. Temperatures have been known to hit the high twenties as a result of this weather pattern. Los Angeles is at its coldest at night in the winter, with temperatures that drop to 8°C throughout the season. Visitors may want to bring a jacket to wear if they're out and about on an evening.
Sunshine Hours
Sunny weather dominates the Los Angeles climate, even in the winter, when much of the US is cold and dull. December sees 7 hours of sunshine throughout the month, rising to 8 hours in January and 9 gloriously sunny hours in February.
Rainfall
Rainfall increases in winter in Los Angeles, but is still quite low. January is the wettest month of the year on average, with 79mm of precipitation and 6 wet days, while December sees 66mm of rainfall. Snow in LA is extremely rare; the highest snowfall on record was in January 1932 when 5cm of snow fell.
Spring Weather in Los Angeles
Rain
After winter, the weather starts to improve again and the short spring season arrives before summer gets into full swing. During spring, temperatures bloom, sunshine levels increase and the rainfall that Los Angeles saw in winter disappears again. March sees the last of the wet weather, with 71mm, but this falls dramatically to just 25mm in April and a tiny 10mm in May.
Temperature
In the spring months, the temperature generally ranges between 14°C and 17°C, which feels warm and pleasant, though inland temperatures can rise higher. Highs can reach up to 21°C in April and 22°C in May while lows hardly ever drop below 10°C, even at night.
Sunshine Hours
Spring is the second sunniest season on the year, with clear skies and bright rays of sunshine beating down on the city, marking the impending arrival of the summer. March sees a wonderful 11 hours of sunshine, which rises to 12 hours in April and 13 hours in May, which is practically summer weather.
Though technically spring, March to May are almost summer like, with warm temperatures and sunshine providing great conditions to get out and about and explore Los Angeles. Outside of peak tourism season, spring is an affordable and relaxed time to visit LA.