San Diego Weather Tips

La Jolla's Mediterranean climate makes it a popular year round destination.

Our Mediterranean climate makes La Jolla and the rest of San Diego a popular year round destination. We're happy to have snow birds here in the winter, and we welcome "Zonies," Texans, and residents of other hot spots during the summer.

A Few Facts:

• Just for the record, we get 9-10 inches of rain a year - most of that falls between November and March. In case you are in town when it's wet, I did a post on rainy day activities.
• One thing some visitors don't realize is that only the very hardy swim year round here. Ocean temps are in the 50s from November to May. If you do want to swim, scuba, or snorkel in the winter, BYO wetsuit or rent one after you get here.
• Because our climate is dry, we don't have mosquitoes. That's wonderful news to people like me who grew up in the Midwest.
• The San Diego sky is blue most of the year, however we do sometimes have a phenomena called "May Gray" and "June Gloom," which includes overcast mornings.
• September is the best time to be in San Diego. The daytime temperature is in the high 70s, the night time temps are in the low 60s, the ocean is still in the mid-60s, and the crowds are gone. I call it San Diego's secret season.

A couple of precautions:

• There is often a 20 degree difference between nighttime and daytime temperatures, so come prepared with a jacket - even in the summer.
• Our sun may not feel super hot, but it's still quite strong and you need to practice safe sun

Did you know that the San Diego airport is named after pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh? He liked our climate, too.

"What a change in weather! It was sleeting when I left St Louis. Here, on the 23rd of February, palm leaves flutter in warm wind an sun."
Charles Lindbergh, 1927

Photo credit: ADAMS / HANSEN STOCK PHOTOS
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