Los Angeles has a well-deserved reputation for warm sunny weather all year round – but of course that doesn’t mean that every singe day is sunny. Southern California, including Los Angeles, has its share of rainy and cloudy days. Still, compared with much of the country, the weather in Los Angeles is mild the year around.

Los Angeles used to be part of a desert and parts of Los Angeles, such as Palmdale, for example, are still primarily desert-like. Thanks to several water projects, including the California Aqueduct which brings water from Northern California down to Southern California, Los Angeles has been able to thrive and the desert has been transformed into an oasis that attracts millions of visitors and thousands of new residents each year.

The average rainfall at the LA Civic Center each year is approximately 15 inches. Snowfall is virtually non-existent. In fact, the last time there was more than 0.3 inches of snow at the LA Civic Center was in 1949, and the last time there was even a light coating of snow was in 1962. Outlying areas, such as Palmdale in the desert, or Pasadena in the foothills of the mountains do receive a slight dusting of snow most years, but by and large there is no snow in Los Angeles.

The average lowest temperature at the LA Civic Center is just below 62 degrees in January with an average high of just over 73 degrees in August. The mean the average daytime temperature in Los Angeles, on average, is a comfortable 67 degrees. Note: Average temperatures are somewhat higher in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles and in desert locations.

The mild temperatures and predominately sunny days make Southern California, and Los Angeles in particular, a mecca for people fleeing the cold winters of the North and the Northeast.