San Diego prides itself in being “America’s Finest City” and part of that reputation stems from its climate. San Diego’s climate consistently ranks among the most agreeable in the nation. Throughout the downtown area and along the beaches, San Diego boasts sunny, warm weather year round.San Diego is, however, an arid city. It receives less precipitation than Los Angeles and the pattern is slightly more homogeneous here in the rainiest months of December-February.
The same is generally true of the temperatures. San Diego exhibits less diurnal and annual range than does Los Angeles. Like its bigger counterpart to the north, the San Diego area has its share of micro-climates. However, with far less topographic relief than L.A., the biggest division of San Diego’s climate is between coastal and inland sections. The coast sees enough summer fog to warrant a BSkn designation, while the bulk of the city falls in the more general BSk classification.
Like much of the southern California coast, frost and snow are very rare occurrences here. In fact, San Diego proper is more consistently frost-free than many cities in Florida, a state whose northern border is located over 100 miles further south.
- Köppen Classification: (BS) Semi-arid.
- Current Conditions available via the National Weather Service.
- Climate data from The Western Regional Climate Center.
Rob O’Keefe
