Did Summer Forget L.A.?

Downtown Los Angeles finally reached the 80s on August 13, ending the longest non-80s streak to start August on record, according to the National Weather Service.

Decide for yourself whether this cool start to August qualifies as a legitimate weather gripe.

The weather in the past two to three weeks may be prompting complaints from beachgoers in Southern California.

Low clouds and fog are normal along the California coast in summer. Due to the intense heating of the interior desert and the cool ocean waters, a pressure gradient directs cooler, cloudy air from the ocean onshore.  Typically these low clouds dissipate by mid-late morning, as the sun heats the air around the low cloud layer.

However, with a southward diversion in the upper-level wind pattern parked offshore. This has deepened the so-called marine layer of low clouds in place. Even when the low clouds finally give way to hazy sunshine, temperatures have remained cool.  

Daytime highs at the beach have been stuck in the low 70s. Coupled with morning fog and patchy drizzle, it's probably not what you'd call ideal beach weather at the Santa Monica Pier.

In that same time, the following locations have managed to reach the 80-degree mark this month (stats through Aug. 12):

• Fairbanks:  6 days
• Fargo, N.D.:  2 days
• Caribou, Maine:  1 day
• Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Canada
• Northern Russia, Siberia

The upper-level southward dip offshore will back off a little the next few days, allowing temperatures to warm up a tad.

(10-DAY FORECAST:  L.A. | San Diego)

This weekend, that upper-level southward dip returns, which may bring a boost to the low clouds and fog to the coast, and potentially a tad cooler highs to some inland locations.

So our apologies to the beach crowd. Enjoy the pleasant temperatures, afternoon sun, and, unlike large swaths of the country, no threat of rain or thunderstorms.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM:  California Beach Sunsets