If you’re planning a trip or thinking about moving to the LBC, you’ve probably heard the same old story: it’s just like LA but with more boats. Honestly? That is completely wrong. The weather in long beach california is its own weird, wonderful thing that actually beats out Los Angeles and San Diego in several data-backed "niceness" categories.
I’m not just saying that because the sunset hits different at Alamitos Bay. There’s some serious geography at play here. While Santa Monica is getting hammered by the marine layer and Huntington is dealing with direct Pacific wind, Long Beach sits in this protected little pocket.
Basically, the Palos Verdes Peninsula acts like a giant bodyguard. It blocks those aggressive northwest winds and shreds the heavy fog that usually ruins a beach day in Malibu. Because of that, we often have blue skies while the rest of the coast is stuck in a "Graypril" funk.
Why the weather in long beach california is actually "Better"
You might think I’m biased, but the Washington Post once crunched the numbers and labeled Long Beach the city with the most "nice days" in the entire country. We’re talking about 210 days a year where you don't need a heavy jacket or air conditioning. For comparison, LA only managed 182.
The secret is the south-facing coastline. Most of California's coast faces west, taking the full brunt of the ocean's mood swings. Long Beach faces south. This orientation, combined with the breakwater, keeps the air slightly warmer in the winter and prevents the summer heat from getting as oppressive as it does in the San Fernando Valley.
The Microclimate Breakdown
It’s not just one uniform temperature across the city. If you’re standing on the sand at Belmont Shore, it might be 72°F. Walk two miles inland toward the Long Beach Airport, and it’s suddenly 78°F.
- The Waterfront: Highs usually hover between 65°F and 80°F year-round.
- The "Deep" Long Beach (North LB): Can get a good 5-10 degrees hotter in August.
- The Peninsula: Can feel chilly and damp even on a sunny day if the breeze picks up.
Dealing with the "Gloom" Seasons
Look, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We have names for the gray stuff. May Gray. June Gloom. No Sky July. Fogust.
Around late spring, the "marine layer" (which is just a fancy term for low-level clouds) rolls in every morning. Usually, it "burns off" by 1:00 PM. But some years—especially during a strong La Niña—it just sits there. It’s not raining, it’s just... beige.
If you’re visiting in June, don’t expect a tan before noon. But hey, that's why we have great coffee shops. By the time you’ve finished your second latte at Rose Park, the sun is usually breaking through.
A Quick Look at the Seasons
Winter here is a joke compared to the rest of the world. In January 2026, we saw highs in the mid-60s with a few "stormy" days that would be considered a light drizzle in Seattle.
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- Spring (March–May): Highs of 68-74°F. This is when the city is greenest, but the clouds start showing up.
- Summer (June–August): Highs of 75-84°F. It’s perfect. Even when the rest of SoCal is melting in 100-degree heat, the weather in long beach california stays remarkably chill thanks to that sea breeze.
- Fall (September–November): My personal favorite. The water is at its warmest (around 68°F), the tourists are gone, and the Santa Ana winds occasionally bring hot, dry air from the desert that makes for the best sunset colors you’ve ever seen.
- Winter (December–February): Highs of 65-67°F. You might need a hoodie at night when it drops to 48°F, but that’s about as extreme as it gets.
Rain? What Rain?
We average about 12 inches of rain a year. That is nothing. Most of it happens in "atmospheric river" events where we get three inches in two days and then nothing for a month.
Recent data from early 2026 shows we’re currently sitting at about 193% of our "normal" rainfall to date, but even that just means a few extra puddles on Second Street. Long Beach is flat—very flat—so when it does rain hard, some of the intersections in the West Side or near the traffic circle can flood pretty fast.
Practical Tips for Handling Long Beach Weather
If you’re coming to visit or moving into a bungalow in Rose Park, here is the "real talk" on how to dress and live:
- The Layers Rule: You will wear a t-shirt at 2:00 PM and a light puffer jacket at 7:00 PM. The temperature drop once the sun goes down is no joke.
- AC isn't always standard: Because the weather is so mild, many older homes and apartments don't have central air. Most of the time, a ceiling fan and the "Delta Breeze" are enough. But for those two weeks in September? You’re gonna want a portable unit.
- The Breakwater Effect: Don’t expect big surf. The breakwater makes our water calm like a lake, which actually helps stabilize the local air temperature compared to the wilder surf beaches down south.
The weather in long beach california is essentially a cheat code for a high quality of life. You get the coastal perks without the insane Malibu price tag or the Santa Monica fog. It’s predictable, it’s mild, and it’s arguably the most comfortable climate in the lower 48.
Next Steps for Your Visit
If you want to experience the absolute best of Long Beach, aim for late September or early October. The "gloom" is gone, the Santa Ana winds haven't turned the air into a hair dryer yet, and the ocean is actually warm enough to jump in without a wetsuit. Check the local swell reports if you're planning to boat, as the outer harbor can still get choppy even when the shore is calm.