Tourists visiting Orange County beaches are usually amazed at the cool climate these beaches enjoy. While locals relish a soft breeze and "not too hot" day, someone from Arkansas recently commented that in summer, the beach felt cold. Many vacationers assume that sunny, Southern California is hot, and it's not normally that way.  A rule of thumb that's provided good advice for decades is "dress in layers." Bring sweaters and long packs, socks and shoes that cover your feet for chilly nights. By wearing sweaters that you can shed during the day, you'll be a lot more comfortable when the sun goes down and it becomes cool again. Fortunately for travelers, most major Orange County beaches have shops anchored on a Main Street near the beach, or even beach concessions where sweat shirts are sold.

People who like living at the beach are spoiled by the moderate climate that generally changes during the year by only a few degrees. A heat wave (80's or above) is sometimes painful to an Orange County beach dweller. 

To help you know what the weather is like, we've included the ocean temperatures of select cities. Any of the other cities you are interested in visiting at Orange County beaches will have nearly identical water (Pacific Ocean) temperatures, and air temperatures.

While rain does occur in the Southern California, there's only trace amounts during a normal summer. Some years the Orange County beaches will see only several inches of rain. Its location often allows it to miss rains that extend as far south as Central California.

Orange County Water Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit