California Coast and air conditioning

[Greg G]

In a week we will be in Oxnard CA (middle California coast). Will be staying in a unit maybe 100 yards or so from the ocean. The unit does not have air conditioning. Based on the forecast (low 70s for highs) and the "feels like" temp matching the forecast high I'm guessing we should be ok but I thought it was odd that the humidity was really high (80%). Any advice from those that have stayed ocean side in this area around the start of Sept as to whether you would need AC? We're from Iowa where humidity over 70% can be uncomfortable in the summer. I know this can be subjective but was wondering what others have experienced

Greg

 

[rhonda]

I live in La Jolla with no A/C. We don't miss A/C except for a few days now and then.

 

[jkrich]

We live about four miles from the timeshares in Oxnard and are in a beach community. Almost no one close to the beach has air conditioning.

There might be a week during the year when we put a fan in the window, otherwise simply opening the window will give you all the cool air you want.

The last week has been a bit cool so hopefully it will be a little warmer for your trip to California. You'll find that when it's cool or cloudy at the beach, usually an inland trip of 3-4 miles will give you all of the sun you want. Yesterday it was high 60s here and close to 100 degrees an hour inland.

Jerry

 

[Blues]

Yep, I've lived in Monterey County on the Central Coast since 1980. I've never had air conditioning. In those 23 years, there has been maybe two weeks total that I may have used it if present. We've got nature's own air conditioning here, aka fog.

-Bob

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

Actually, the "natural a/c" is the Pacific Ocean. The very cool ocean combined with the topography keeps oceanside temperatures down. I would know, my brother/SIL lives in Thousand Oaks, and his wife (my sister-in-law) is a native LA-vicinity Californian. That's their description as to why it is cooler near the Pacific.

TS

 

[vacationhopeful]

My sister and family live in Oxnard for 30+ years. They have central A/C which they NEVER run. The house came that way. They live inland and can barely see the ocean from their house - as they are on a golf course.

 

[Rent_Share]

It's a huge thermal mass called the Pacific Ocean which warms up to a balmy 68 degrees in the summer.

Kind of like a fan blowing over a block of ice.

You may get conflicting weather reads sincie Oxnard is predominately an agricultural town with a Sea Bee Port (Port Hueneme) and Naval Air Station (Pt Mugu) The two timeshare developments are in a costal residential community significantly removed from Central Oxnard

Here's the 10 Day forecast for Oxnard Low 58 High 70

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/Oxnard+CA+USCA0819:1:US

Oxnard Beach

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Oxnard+Beach+CA+USCA4278:1:US


As you move inland, there are mountains to create a microclimate the high pressure prevents the marine air from coming inland (in the summer) and creates a 10 degree difference between the coast and LA/Orange County and a further 10 degree difference between LA/OC and the Inland Empire, San Fernando Valley, or San Gabriel Valley

Having traveled to Iowa in July, don't sweat the humidity in California

 

[Greg G]

Thanks for all the quick replys. Sounds like we'll be fine without AC.

Greg

 

[deannak]

We stayed near the beach in San Clemente this summer, and the temperature was wonderful, but we were still wishing it had AC. Why? Just so that we could close the windows and lessen the nighttime noise of the trains going by.

 

[Sandra Joan]

Yup! The climate suits at times and now it really doesn't make us to feel that we aren't without AC.