Why Is California So Hot?
California is famous because of the sun and the heat among travelers. With good weather, it is very appropriate to live and work. Some parts of California get excessively hot during the summers, causing draughts and wildfires. The temperature may rise to some critical limit, making living difficult. There are several reasons why California is so hot in the summers. Some significant reasons why California is so hot are listed below-
LocationDry airGreenhouse gasAmount of sunlightLow water levelsWildfires
Cause and Effect: Why Is California So Hot?
1. Location-
Location plays a significant role in determining the temperature levels across California. For example, southern California is way hotter than northern California. Death valley county of Southern California is announced as the hottest city in the world, exceeding the temperature of 56 degrees celsius. California also consists of high mountain ranges, which block out winds from the north. The pre-existing winds in southern California also make it difficult for the breeze to take place.
California also consists of a lot of beaches and coasts. Therefore, water absorbs breeze even before they make it to the land. Hence, the temperature turns even hot and dry. Due to such diversity in locations in California, the temperature varies drastically.
2. Dry air
Due to high coastal mountain ranges and beaches, the air is dry and less humid in California. The Southwest part of California is a high-pressure area. Therefore, it pushes the storms and breeze to the northern part of California. Hence, southern California does not face rain and the wet condition often. Northern California does get rain and breeze due to mountain ranges.
3. Greenhouse gas
California produces so much pollution that it creates tremendous greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, in turn, trap heat on the surface. It causes the temperature to rise excessively. The population of California is about 40 million, which is a significant factor in why the greenhouse gases rise so much. As of 2022, the per person emission rate is ten tonnes of greenhouse gases. The heat here is already warm, and the high mountain ranges, in addition, contribute to trapping heat in the area. The significant source of greenhouse gases is – transportation, electricity, agricultural pollution, industrial pollution, commercial and residential products, and forestry.
4. Amount of Sunlight
California remains sunny in most counties throughout the year because of the geographical location of California on the earth’s axis. The sunlight, however, affects the heat reflected by the sun. Due to high mountain ranges and coastal areas, the heat from the sun gets trapped on the surface. The heat is absorbed and trapped due to greenhouse gases and high coastal mountain ranges, making it even hotter. The sun shines on California from above, making the days there even longer. Due to California’s location, it almost stays close to the sun throughout the year. Southern California remains warmer than other regions in California.
5. Low Water Levels
There is very little rain. On average, it rains 22 inches annually in California, due to which causes a severe problem of drought in the state. Dry and warm air evaporates water from the ground, creating droughts. If droughts remain for long periods, it causes overlapping in hot and dry periods. It further causes excessive temperature. The counties such as death valleys containing deserts get an annual rain of two inches or less per year.
6. Wildfires
The depleting level of underground water and low rain levels cause low moisture in the soil. If suddenly caught fire, the fire can burn for many miles. The rain period in California is usually in winters, so in the summers, vegetation stagnates in the city. Natural reasons such as lightning or human reasons such as campfires etc can easily cause a fire in the area. Wildfires add more heat to the environment and absorb moisture from the air. The heat from the fire also decreases the moisture level of the soil. In the area where wildfire occurs, the temperature rises even more.
Conclusion
California is a state in the western United States. There are fifty-eight counties under the California state, and the area covers approx 900 miles. California remains sunny, which makes it appropriate to live. But the temperature in California changes drastically, making it difficult to live. There are many reasons why California is so hot. It is concluded that although California is hot, it varies across different counties of the state. Northern California remains cooler than southern California. Therefore, the person can decide their residence based on heat and temperature variations in the country.
Can we live in California?
It is difficult to reside in California due to weather conditions there. More and more people are turning to migration as an option.
