Climate of California

Köppen climate types of California, using 1991–2020 climate normals.
Golden Gate Bridge in fog
Snow in the mountains of Southern California
Summer in the Sierra Nevada at Lake Tahoe
High precipitation in 2005 caused an ephemeral lake in the Badwater Basin of Death Valley.

The climate of California varies widely from hot desert to alpine tundra, depending on latitude, elevation, and proximity to the Pacific Coast. California's coastal regions, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and much of the Central Valley have a Mediterranean climate, with warmer, drier weather in summer and cooler, wetter weather in winter. The influence of the ocean generally moderates temperature extremes, creating warmer winters and substantially cooler summers in coastal areas.


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