Los Angeles is the largest and most extensive of the three main cities on the California coast. For this reason, to be accurate, it is necessary to specify the climate and temperatures of every single district, town, or city in the county.
I will try to cover as briefly as possible the most touristy areas. Of course, I will also give some general indications about the climate of Los Angeles, in order to help you understand what is the best time to visit the city and its surroundings. The good news is that the weather in Los Angeles is generally favorable throughout most of the year (with some exceptions during certain seasons). But let’s take a closer look!
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The Climate of Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, the climate is temperate, in some ways it is similar to the climate of San Francisco, but it is even less “capricious”. We can also define it as a Mediterranean climate, even though it is in a completely different part of the world, since it is characterized by very mild winters and warm summers. However, compared to the characteristics of the classic Mediterranean climate, the winter is milder and rainfall is less frequent. For more details on the subject, read our article about the climate in California.
Summer
From July to the end of September, it can be hot or very hot, and there are many days with sweltering temperatures. Rainfall is pretty rare and the average temperature ranges from 64° (min) to over 90° (max). The maximum temperatures can also exceed 86° when the warm dry winds from the nearby California deserts (Santa Ana Winds) blow over Los Angeles. The record for the highest temperature was 113° in September 2010.
Near the airport and in coastal cities such as Santa Monica and Venice, temperatures are mitigated by ocean currents. Long Beach is an exception, since it is penalized by its geographical position. Inland cities (Culver City, Pasadena, Burbank) and the central area of Los Angeles are much warmer in the summer, not to mention San Fernando, which is completely surrounded by hills and mountains that block cool currents.
Winter
Winter days in Los Angeles (between December and March) are rarely very cold. Between December and January, cold winds can cause night temperatures to approach 32°, but daytime temperatures rarely drop below 45-46°. The average high temperatures range from 63° in Santa Monica and Los Angeles (airport) to 66-68° in Burbank, Pasadena, Culver, and San Fernando, while heavy snowfall can occur in the nearby mountains.
In this season, there is more rainfall, so it can rain for 7 days a month from December to March. The Santa Ana Winds do not stop blowing even in winter. As a result, some days can be unusually dry and hot, and temperatures can exceed 77° and can occasionally reach 86°.
Fall
Fall in Los Angeles is a short season that lasts from October to November. The days are still sunny and pleasantly warm or warm. The minimum temperature does not get below 59° until late November, while the maximum temperature is on average between 79 and 89° until October, but there can be days with much warmer and drier weather when desert winds blow from the east, a phenomenon that is manifested the most during this season. Rainfall intensifies in November.
Spring
Just like the fall, the spring in Los Angeles is also short-lived. From April to mid-June, the climate gradually changes. Winter temperatures give way to more moderate ones typical of the early summer months.
The average low temperature ranges from 45 to 59°, and the average high temperature stays between 68 and 75°. In May, there are also days with warmer temperatures of 80-82° in anticipation of the sudden shift to summer in June. In the spring, the combination between warm weather and humid ocean currents gives rise to fog and light rainfall. The most persistent rainfall is mostly in April.
Can You Go Swimming?
Unlike San Francisco – where hardly anyone gets in the water even in the summer – Los Angeles’ beaches in the summer months are filled with people who tan, surf, and play beach volleyball. The best time to swim in the ocean is between August and September, when the average water temperature approaches 70°, but not all tourists feel like following the example of the locals who are used to the cool ocean waters.
Surroundings of Los Angeles
Orange County has roughly the same weather conditions as downtown Los Angeles, while in nearby Palm Springs (located beyond the mountains, at the edge of the desert), summer temperatures can be even warmer.
When’s the Best Time to Go to Los Angeles?
The seasons with the ideal climate to make a trip to Los Angeles are early autumn (October) and late spring (May-June). Of course, you can also go in the summer, but if you cannot withstand hot temperatures, I recommend that you visit the coastal areas and avoid venturing towards the desert region.
