Climate of California

The climate of California varies widely from desert to alpine depending on latitude, elevation and how close the area is to the coast. That's not all, because for much of its length, it has a range of mountains on its Eastern side.

Most of the coastal and southern parts of the state have a Mediterranean climate with somewhat rainy winters and dry summers. The deserts in the south of the state have very hot summers and mild winters. Parts of the south have a dry steppe climate, for example San Diego.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) averages from 1981–2010, California is the 13th warmest state in the United States with the average annual temperature of 58.4 °F (14.7 °C) ^[1]

1. ↑ "Average Annual Temperature for Each US State". Current Results. Retrieved 18 April 2015.