I'm probably exaggerating a little when I say how boring the weather is around here, but it sure feels like it by July. Here are some things I personally despise about summertime weather in CenCal (it's still a great place, don't get me wrong!):
1) AIR QUALITY SUCKS! Most of the "Top 10" lists about bad air quality in America features 1 or more towns from the San Joaquin Valley. It makes sense though, we are in a geographical trash bin, with 2 major metropolitan areas to our north and south: L.A. and San Francisco. On top of that, disturbances are extremely rare, so the air sits in place for the most part. I'm not sure if this is usual in other places, but our horizon turns into a light tan color on some days, and you can't see the mountains (which are only 40 miles away).
2) The heat is kind of annoying. I wouldn't call it very bad; the southeast has it worse with their humidity, but it stinks when it's going to be 104 for the 3rd day in a row. Arizona gets a similar dry heat, but much worse (only they can occasionally get the monsoons by August; we're still dry as heck).
3) It's so darned DRY. There's a reason that CA gets so many wildfires (contributing to bad air quality). Usually by mid-June, all the non-watered grass has turned yellow, and the dirt is bone-dry. On average (according to the NWS), Fresno's dry period is from about mid-April to October or later. That's 6 months for any sort of unwatered vegetation to dry up. The main reason I don't like this dryness is because it feels like the same thing everyday: hot and sunny with a few cirrus clouds in the evening.
By the time late-October rolls around, things cool off (usually, though it can still reach 100 in early Oct.), and the winds kick up, which usually fixes the air quality to an extent. Of course, dust can get kicked up too, if it was really dry over the summer, and sometimes in the winter (anyone heard of the 1977 Arvin dust storm?).
Sorry if I sound like a negative person, but I'm bored and felt like expressing my opinions on stuff like that right now (in the midst of summer, of course). Has anybody else from the forum visited the San Joaquin Valley, and if so, what did you think of it (weather related or not, I'm interested either way)?
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