The state of California has a physical geography that is utterly captivating. The geography of California is significant not only to Californians, but the entire country. California features a low shoreline rapidly building in to a high range of hills and mountains. It contours the western side of the great basin, a phenomenon which impacts weather condition all over the US.
You never experience the consequences of California geography quite so acutely as you do if you reside near the Pacific Ocean in California. While in California, I first discovered the term microclimate. I lived in Berkeley at the time, and I could see the effects of California geography all around me. It was always a bit warmer in Oakland and a lot cooler in San Francisco. Occasionally I’d take walks in the city of San Francisco with one of my acquaintances. Whenever it was too warm, we’d go west and instantly feel the air cool off. While it got colder, we’d move further east in the city. If it was a really cool day, my friend and I would go and hang out in Berkeley. The sea winds were so inevitable that you could pinpoint to the neighborhood how much hotter or cooler it would be there before we got there.
Naturally, I have not had very much experience of the mountain geography of California. If you’ve never lived in the Pacific time zone, you might not experience mountain climates. When I was living in California, the weather man would forecast separate weather for different California geography ranges. For example, when it was 90° and cloudless in Oakland, it would be snowing high enough up in the mountains. By considering the different snow levels, you could figure out how hot or cold it would be at various points in between. Ideally, you could go skiing in Lake Tahoe, and drive come back to Sacramento for a nice dip in the pool.
Among the most curious features of California geography is the hills along the fault-line. A few of the most pricey and beautiful oceanfront homes could also be one of the most dangerous place to live. The Berkeley Hills, for example, afford a scenic overlook of the whole bay. Because of the faults that run through them, They shoot up quite quickly as you move away from the shore. Often on the hills, people build gorgeous and elaborate houses perched on unstable slopes. It’s utterly beautiful, and more than a little bit unusual. Essentially, it’s something you have to see to believe. Looking from one of those great big beautiful houses out towards the ocean is an experience like no other.
O.T. Chuong is a online consultant and writer specializing in articles pertaining to home & garden, family lifestyles, and automotive. Want to save money on your water and utility bill? Click here to learn more about: buy water heater north bay, and gas water heater north bay.
