Hi! I’m looking into the Claremont schools, and weather is somewhat of a concern of mine. I spent a week in Anaheim a couple of months ago, and I loved the weather. It was great to get a break from our insane humidity. However, I’m not sure how that one week compares to weather the rest of the year. If anyone who is familiar with mid-atlantic (more specifically Jersey) weather could tell me how the weather in Southern Cali compares to the weather here, especially in the long term, I would really appreciate it!
We used to live above the CC’s. From October thru Mid-July, the weather is very mild. Winter months are generally in the 60’s to low 70’s during the day. Nights can occasionally dip down to freezing but not on a regular basis. The 40’s are more the norm. Summers can get very hot- 100 to 110- but you probably won’t be around for most summers. You will see some pretty hot weather thru Sept. Up until recently I would have said the hot weather is very dry, but we have had quite a bit of humidity this summer. In general the weather is very similar to Anaheim.
My kid is from Minnesota and attends a Claremont college (I know it is not NJ… But northern and gets some snow!). She did not choose it for the weather, and in fact hates palm trees. But she LOVES the weather now that she is there. In her 3rd year, and hasn’t gotten tired of it.
She sends me texts like: “I hear Minnesota is running out of road salt…” and “80 here and 20 below there – hey, that is a 100 degree difference.” Go for it, you won’t be sorry.
This year has been flaky.
We, of course, are in a drought, so that means water restrictions on keeping our plants green. We’ve browned out quite a bit.
The weather is typically a dry heat, so most people can tolerate it; but these last few months, we’ve gotten “hurricane” weather which has made the temperatures (90’s to 100s), with the humidity, unbearable if you don’t have AC. Many people did not have AC because of our ocean breezes, but the AC appt I just booked for my Mom’s house, by the coast, took almost a month for an opening!
Typically, the coastal areas get fog, which burns off from 11am to 1 pm. We had fog today! Such a nice relief!
The Claremont colleges are inland, so they don’t get too much fog.
Winter months have been cold from January to March. Temps, near the coast (in winter months) are warmer; inland temps can get to freezing and in the 40’s. As you go into our mountain areas, you hit snow.
Right now, we are 80’s at 10:30 am with temperatures expected to go to 90. Yes, its humid!
Almost any day of almost any year, I’d take Pomona/Claremont weather over anyplace in New Jersey. No snow and no humidity. Trust me, you won’t want to go back.
Wildfires? Earthquakes?
Wildfires occur every year because we have so much tinder. We just listen for the reverse 911 calls and leave to evac centers.
Earthquakes probably occur daily in the desert and off of the coast. No one feels them too often.
Major earthquakes, over 5.0, people know what to do: roll over and go back to sleep. JK go under a sturdy desk/table and cover.
Our buildings, freeways, and housing, by law, have to be constructed to withstand earthquakes (or shorn up and retrofitted). The buildings have give such that studies are done every year at the UC’s and Caltech, showing how the sway lessens the impact (damage of falling debris) of the quake.
My kid’s first couple of weeks as a Mudder, there was a brush fire right across Foothill Blvd from campus in the hills. It was significant enough that the local news station sent a helicopter, and we could see the Mudd dorms in the background on TV! I texted my kid, “Fire?” She responded, “Not our fault!”
The collegiate-appropriate crisp fall weather and changing leaves of the Northeast may be what you would miss most. This is what I needed to get back to after spending a full summer in southern California. You should know instinctively if this would apply to you.
I lived in So. Cal in the LA area for two years while attending graduate school. There are many sunny days and the temperature mostly ranges from the 70’s to the 90’s degree. It is dry heat. The winter is not cold. I have never had to wear a heavy coat or jacket in So. Cal. Summer and Fall months are warm in the 80’s to 90’s, especially inland in the Pomona area.
The hills above the CC’s are definitely subject to wildfires- we were evacuated 3 times in the 8 years we lived there and lost 11 houses in our immediate neighborhood in one. However, the CC’s are down in the Claremont Village far enough from the foothills that they are not affected. As far as earthquakes, you just deal with them. Most buildings have been retrofitted and are safe. I’ll take an earthquake over a tornado or hurricane any day.
Those who have said we have a “dry heat” are correct…most of the time. As Aunt Bea pointed out this year has been very odd. There have been several days where I was reminded of NY (we visit there often, so that’s my point of reference for humid and hot). Not quite as bad as NY but still a humidity we aren’t used to here. We’ve even got actual rain, which, again, is unusual during the summer.
But humid days are rare so you’ll still find our weather much more pleasant. The great thing I love about our weather, is that bad weather never lasts. I can handle rainy, cold (“cold” for me at least), weather, because I know in a few hours (or maybe in a day or two) the sun will come out and the weather will be beautiful again. And we can have warm (even hot) summer days in the middle of “winter”.
Our weather is why so many people here are from other places…
Claremont, specifically, is going to be hot because it’s inland. You will have to deal with some really hot (90’s maybe even 100) during the start and end of the school year but the rest of the year will be great. My D (at Scripps) says that her friends from the east coast can’t wait to come back from winter break and sun bathe on the lawn!
Thanks guys 
This makes me feel a lot better about my interest in the 5C’s (more specifically Pomona). Hopefully I’ll be able to visit at some point (I’m only a junior now)
One more thing, because we have really good weather, a lot of people want to live here. That means you will pay a lot of money to attend our colleges. It’s called the “sun tax”.