Heat

Perhaps the most noticeable change I've experienced to date since moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles is the weather.  It's an adjustment, to say the least.

I've taken to wearing shorts and a tank top every day and my sunglasses are almost always affixed to my face.  Anytime I go out without the sunglasses is an unfortunate experience before the unrelenting sunshine.  No clouds.  Little breeze.  Just warm warm sunshine.

A little something about me: I much prefer rainy, cool weather.  Yes, you heard that correctly.  My ideal climate is probably Forks, Washington, one of the country's rainiest towns (and now known for other reasons - go ahead and Google it).  Well, I like rain and snow.  You probably think that's weird, so feel free to just say it out loud.  There.  Happy now?

Despite my complaining about the perpetually chilly air of San Francisco, the fog was somehow cathartic to me on those days when I just wanted to be bundled up in a blanket, sipping hot chocolate, and watching the latest episode of Top Chef.  For me, the fog was San Francisco's version of "rain" during a long dry season.

That said, who wants to be bundled up in his winter jacket and hat to watch the fireworks lighting up the blustery fog on July 4th?  Or just being cold the entire summer for that matter?  Oh yes, I know that San Francisco's "summer" is September and October - but last I checked it has still only broken 80 degrees 3 times since Sept. 1, and mostly highs have been in the 60s.  Meanwhile, the high in LA has only been cooler than 70 degrees once since Sept. 1, and generally has been hovering between 75 and 80 every day.  And that one day cooler than 70?  Several people complained to me that I'd brought the "San Francisco weather" with me in my move.  Gee, thanks guys!  Apparently some Los Angelenos think that any SF'er - transplant or visitor - brings the clouds with him wherever he goes.  But, aren't the clouds pretty?

I'm a weather fanatic.  Years ago I took a one-credit college course on climate change, and the one grade for the class was a final exam that was all things meteorology (and not what we covered on climate change issues).  Needless to say, I aced the exam because, ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by fronts, air masses, storms, cloud patterns, precipitation, etc.  Changes in weather patterns, in particular, interest me.  Shifts from hot to cold or vice versa; days of rain/snow; different cloud patterns... you name it, if it's changing I'm probably outside watching it or obsessing over it on numerous websites like this and this.  For many years, must-see TV for me generally consisted of ESPN's SportsCenter and all things The Weather Channel.

Well, the weather didn't change much over the course of any given year in San Francisco, and that appears likely to be even more so the case in Los Angeles.  It's basically sunny, and warm, every day.  Yes.  Every day.

As this article points out, LA gets 329 days of sunshine a year, out of 365 days.  Last I checked, that's a little over 90% of the time.  (dramatic pause)  Do you know how hard that kind of unrelenting warm sunshine is for someone used to changing weather, including both hot and cold days and intermittent precipitation?  Or do you lack sympathy with my plight?  I don't blame you if you fall into the latter category.

So, doing my best to adjust - walking and biking around to explore and discover my environs, and to acclimate to a climate that brings perpetual sunshine and warmth.  Any and all suggestions for coping mechanisms to adjust to this new climate are welcome.