{I'm posting every day this month for the 31 Days writing challenge!
Click here to see an introduction and a list of all the posts I've written so far.}
Click here to see an introduction and a list of all the posts I've written so far.}
As someone who grew up in a desert climate, where it can be over 90 degrees (and sometimes upwards of 115) for more than half the year, I have to laugh whenever someone in Santa Barbara complains about it being “so hot today!” Because “hot” in Santa Barbara is 85-90 degrees, tops. And if it ever does reach up to 95, people start seriously contemplating moving away forever because it’s just not fair that we have to deal with such awful heat in a beach community!
The chart below shows the average highs and lows in Santa Barbara year-round. The average high is ALWAYS between 60 and 75 degrees, and the average low never drops below 40. Now, of course, the temperatures do actually get higher and lower than these numbers, but this is the statistical average. For comparison, I looked up Chicago, IL, and their average highs vary from 31 to 84, and their lows from 16 to 64.
What I’m saying is, anyone who comes from a place with much more extreme weather situations – like three feet of snow, crazy monsoons, hurricanes, extreme humidity, or blazing desert heat – knows that there’s really no justifiable reason to complain about Santa Barbara weather, ever. We get foggy and overcast mornings fairly regularly, and more often than not, the fog burns off to a clear, sunny afternoon. It gets cold enough in the winter that we can still bust out our scarves, boots and peacoats (though anyone from a place that actually SNOWS will laugh at us), but it’s never so unbearably cold that we’re forced to stay indoors next to a heater with 45 blankets wrapped around us.
I must admit that I do catch myself complaining sometimes when it’s “too cold” or “too hot” – basically any time it’s not 65-75 degrees outside – but really, there’s a reason this place is a popular destination for vacations, weekend getaways, retirement, and weddings: we have nearly perfect weather all year round! When I stop to realize that, I feel incredibly blessed. I still occasionally think I miss my desert heat, but then I go home to visit family in the middle of summer, and I bask in the 100 degree warmth...for about 12 seconds before I’m like, “Okay, that’s enough of that! Where’s my cool ocean breeze?”
So, reason #2 to love Santa Barbara is that even our “worst” weather is more desirable than a lot of cities’ “best” weather! (Feel free to remind me of this post if you ever catch me whining about being too cold or too hot in Santa Barbara...unless I’m inside my office, in which case, WHY IS IT ALWAYS AN ICE BOX?!)
I've never been to Santa Barbara! I've gotten close but somehow missed. I'll stick it on my bucket list. : )
ReplyDeleteYeah! And if you do come out this way, let me know! I love bloggy meet-ups. :-)
DeleteSouthern California really does have practically perfect weather year-round! When I first moved here, people were complaining about the heat. Sure, it was hot outside and a little more humid than normal for SoCal, but it felt absolutely wonderful compared to the sticky humidity in the deep south. I thought the warmth in L.A. felt perfect! (Also, due to the lack of humidity here, my hair has never looked better!)
ReplyDeleteTotally agreed on both counts. My skin may not like dry days, but my hair loves it!
DeleteAnd my husband (born and raised in LA) tells the story of when he came home from a family reunion in Texas. When he left, it was 96 degrees and he was miserable. When he landed in LA, it was 106 degrees and he sighed with relief at the "cooler" weather!