Editing Long Beach, California (section)

==Geography==

Long Beach is about {{convert|21|mi|km|0}} south of downtown [[Los Angeles]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|80.35|sqmi|km2|1}}, of which {{convert|50.70|sqmi|km2|1}} is land and {{convert|29.64|sqmi|km2}} (36.8%) is water. Long Beach completely surrounds the city of [[Signal Hill, California|Signal Hill]].

===Climate===

Long Beach has a climate that can either be described as a [[hot semi-arid climate]] or a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]]. In general, the city features hot summers and mild to warm winters with occasional rainfall. Days in Long Beach are mostly sunny, as in Southern California in general. Temperatures recorded at the weather station at the [[Long Beach Airport]], {{convert|4.0|mi|km}} inland from the ocean, range more greatly than those along the immediate coast. During the summer months, low clouds and fog occur frequently, developing overnight and blanketing the area on many mornings. This fog usually clears by the afternoon, and a westerly sea breeze often develops, keeping temperatures mild. Heat and high humidity can sometimes coincide in summer, which may cause discomfort due to the heat index.<ref>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-IV/US/GROUP1/00045115.TXT |title=Weather data |website=ftp.atdd.noaa.gov |format=PDF |access-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20170525051535/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-IV/US/GROUP1/00045115.TXT |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to data analysis provided by the [[National Weather Service|NWS]], The annual average temperature of Long Beach is {{Convert|64.9|F|1}}, of which August is the hottest month with an average temperature of {{Convert|74.3|F|1}}, while December is the coldest month with an average temperature of {{Convert|56.7|F|1}}.<ref name="NOAA" /> In terms of temperature, Long Beach and other California cities such as [[Los Angeles]] and [[San Francisco]] have the hottest month of the year usually in August and the coolest month in December. Long Beach has 23 days of afternoon temperatures above {{Convert|90|F|1}} each year, and about two days a year are above {{Convert|100|F|1}}.<ref name="NOWData" />

[[File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - Long Beach Area, CA(ThreadEx).svg|thumb|right|Climate chart for Long Beach]]
Long Beach's location directly east of the [[Palos Verdes Peninsula]], paired with its south facing coastline, results in the city sometimes experiencing different weather patterns than the Los Angeles metropolitan area coastal communities to the northwest and southeast of Long Beach, which largely have west facing coastlines. The 1200&nbsp;ft Palos Verdes hills block west to east airflow and a significant amount of the coastal moisture that marks other coastal cities, such as [[Manhattan Beach, California|Manhattan Beach]], [[Santa Monica]], and [[Newport Beach]].

As in most locations in Southern California, most rainfall in Long Beach occurs during the winter months. Storms can bring heavy rainfall.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwDI~StnSrch~StnID~20001598
 |title=NCDC: Weather Station: Long Beach Daugherty Field
 |access-date=January 22, 2009 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123170738/http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwDI~StnSrch~StnID~20001598
 |archive-date=November 23, 2011 }}</ref> The annual precipitation in Long Beach is {{Convert|12.02|in|1}}, of which the precipitation from December to March of the following year accounts for 81% of the whole year.<ref name="NOAA" /> June to September is usually rainless, especially August.<ref name="NOWData" />

{{Weather box
| location = Long Beach, California ([[Long Beach Airport]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1958–present
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high F = 93
| Feb record high F = 92
| Mar record high F = 98
| Apr record high F = 105
| May record high F = 104
| Jun record high F = 109
| Jul record high F = 109
| Aug record high F = 105
| Sep record high F = 111
| Oct record high F = 111
| Nov record high F = 101
| Dec record high F = 92
| Jan avg record high F = 83.1
| Feb avg record high F = 82.4
| Mar avg record high F = 84.9
| Apr avg record high F = 89.4
| May avg record high F = 89.4
| Jun avg record high F = 89.4
| Jul avg record high F = 93.0
| Aug avg record high F = 95.9
| Sep avg record high F = 99.7
| Oct avg record high F = 95.5
| Nov avg record high F = 89.4
| Dec avg record high F = 80.1
| year avg record high F = 102.1
| Jan high F = 67.4
| Feb high F = 66.8
| Mar high F = 68.6
| Apr high F = 71.4
| May high F = 73.1
| Jun high F = 76.1
| Jul high F = 81.4
| Aug high F = 83.2
| Sep high F = 82.4
| Oct high F = 77.7
| Nov high F = 72.5
| Dec high F = 66.7
| year high F = 73.9
| Jan mean F = 57.1
| Feb mean F = 57.6
| Mar mean F = 59.9
| Apr mean F = 62.7
| May mean F = 65.5
| Jun mean F = 68.7
| Jul mean F = 73.1
| Aug mean F = 74.3
| Sep mean F = 73.1
| Oct mean F = 68.4
| Nov mean F = 62.0
| Dec mean F = 56.7
| year mean F = 64.9
| Jan low F = 46.9
| Feb low F = 48.4
| Mar low F = 51.2
| Apr low F = 53.9
| May low F = 57.9
| Jun low F = 61.3
| Jul low F = 64.9
| Aug low F = 65.5
| Sep low F = 63.9
| Oct low F = 59.1
| Nov low F = 51.6
| Dec low F = 46.6
| year low F = 55.9
| Jan avg record low F = 38.7
| Feb avg record low F = 40.2
| Mar avg record low F = 43.4
| Apr avg record low F = 47.2
| May avg record low F = 52.6
| Jun avg record low F = 56.8
| Jul avg record low F = 60.7
| Aug avg record low F = 61.2
| Sep avg record low F = 58.3
| Oct avg record low F = 51.8
| Nov avg record low F = 43.2
| Dec avg record low F = 37.9
| year avg record low F = 36.4
| Jan record low F = 25
| Feb record low F = 33
| Mar record low F = 33
| Apr record low F = 38
| May record low F = 40
| Jun record low F = 47
| Jul record low F = 51
| Aug record low F = 55
| Sep record low F = 50
| Oct record low F = 39
| Nov record low F = 34
| Dec record low F = 28
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.89
| Feb precipitation inch = 3.02
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.65
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.56
| May precipitation inch = 0.26
| Jun precipitation inch = 0.07
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.05
| Aug precipitation inch = 0.01
| Sep precipitation inch = 0.08
| Oct precipitation inch = 0.53
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.75
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.15
| year precipitation inch = 12.02
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 6.0
| Feb precipitation days = 6.5
| Mar precipitation days = 5.5
| Apr precipitation days = 2.9
| May precipitation days = 1.6
| Jun precipitation days = 0.7
| Jul precipitation days = 0.6
| Aug precipitation days = 0.1
| Sep precipitation days = 0.5
| Oct precipitation days = 2.3
| Nov precipitation days = 3.1
| Dec precipitation days = 5.2
| year precipitation days = 35.0
| Jan snow inch =
| Feb snow inch =
| Mar snow inch =
| Apr snow inch =
| May snow inch =
| Jun snow inch =
| Jul snow inch =
| Aug snow inch =
| Sep snow inch =
| Oct snow inch =
| Nov snow inch =
| Dec snow inch =
| year snow inch =
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days =
| Feb snow days =
| Mar snow days =
| Apr snow days =
| May snow days =
| Jun snow days =
| Jul snow days =
| Aug snow days =
| Sep snow days =
| Oct snow days =
| Nov snow days =
| Dec snow days =
| Jan humidity = 64.7
| Feb humidity = 66.9
| Mar humidity = 67.2
| Apr humidity = 65.4
| May humidity = 68.2
| Jun humidity = 69.6
| Jul humidity = 68.3
| Aug humidity = 68.5
| Sep humidity = 69.2
| Oct humidity = 67.6
| Nov humidity = 67.1
| Dec humidity = 66.2
| year humidity = 67.4
| Jan dew point C = 5.2
| Feb dew point C = 6.6
| Mar dew point C = 7.4
| Apr dew point C = 8.4
| May dew point C = 11.1
| Jun dew point C = 13.1
| Jul dew point C = 15.1
| Aug dew point C = 15.9
| Sep dew point C = 14.9
| Oct dew point C = 11.9
| Nov dew point C = 8.3
| Dec dew point C = 5.6
| source 1 = NOAA (dew points and relative humidity 1961–1990)<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00023129&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Long Beach Daugherty FLD, CA
|access-date = May 7, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230704100827/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00023129&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date = July 4, 2023
}}
</ref><ref name = NOAAhumidity>{{Cite web
|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72297.TXT
|title = WMO Climate Normals for LONG BEACH/WSCMO CA 1961–1990
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = July 4, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170525061258/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72297.TXT
|archive-date = May 25, 2017
}}</ref>
| source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=lox
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Los Angeles
|access-date = May 7, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Long Beach, California.tab
| title=Long Beach monthly weather statistics
}}

===Neighborhoods===

{{main|Neighborhoods of Long Beach, California}}

[[File:LB Neighborhoods.jpg|thumb|Neighborhood map of the City of Long Beach|left]] [[File:Long Beach CA Photo D Ramey Logan.jpg|thumb|[[Downtown Long Beach|Downtown]], [[Long Beach Shoreline Marina|Shoreline Marina]], and the [[Port of Long Beach]], 2010]]Long Beach is composed of many different neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are named after thoroughfares, while others are named for nearby parks, schools, or city features.

===Environment===
====Pollution====
[[File:LongBeach-oilfield-1920.jpg|left|thumb|Oil field in Long Beach, 1920]]
Long Beach suffers from some of the worst air pollution in the entire [[United States]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://science.time.com/2013/11/05/the-10-most-polluted-cities-in-america/slide/4-los-angeles-long-beach-riverside-ca/|title=#4 (tie): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA - The 10 Most Polluted Cities in America - TIME.com|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=November 5, 2013|access-date=February 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301172743/http://science.time.com/2013/11/05/the-10-most-polluted-cities-in-america/slide/4-los-angeles-long-beach-riverside-ca/|archive-date=March 1, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Most of the city is in proximity to the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the prevailing westerly-to-west-south-westerly winds bring a large portion of the twin ports' air pollution directly into Long Beach before dispersing it northward then eastward.<ref name="lbds.info">{{cite web| url=http://www.lbds.info/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2437| title=City of Long Beach General plan, Air Quality Element| work=City of Long Beach website| access-date=February 4, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504051623/http://www.lbds.info/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2437| archive-date=May 4, 2011| url-status=live}}</ref> Heavy pollution sources at the ports include the ships themselves, which burn high-sulfur, high-soot-producing [[bunker fuel]] to maintain internal electrical power while docked, as well as heavy diesel pollution from [[drayage]] trucks at the ports, and short-haul tractor-trailer trucks ferrying cargo from the ports to inland warehousing, rail yards, and shipping centers. Long-term average levels of toxic air pollutants (and the corresponding [[carcinogenic]] risk they create) can be two to three times higher in and around Long Beach, and in downwind areas to the east, than in other parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, such as the [[Westside (Los Angeles County)|Westside]], [[San Fernando Valley]], or [[San Gabriel Valley]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.aqmd.gov/prdas/matesIII/matesIII.html| title=Multiple Airborne Toxics Exposure Study (MATES III)| work=South Coast Air Quality Management District website| access-date=February 4, 2011| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129223223/http://aqmd.gov/prdas/matesIII/matesIII.html| archive-date=January 29, 2011| df=mdy-all}}</ref> While overall regional pollution in the Los Angeles metropolitan area has declined in the last decade, pollution levels remain dangerously high in much of Long Beach due to the port pollution, with diesel exhaust from ships, trains, and trucks as the largest sources.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-aqmd5jan05,0,1913116.story |title=Cancer risk from toxic air drops by 17% in Southland |author=Janet Wilson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer |date=January 5, 2008 |work=Los Angeles Times newspaper |publisher=[[Tribune Company]] |access-date=March 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811212537/http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-aqmd5jan05,0,1913116.story |archive-date=August 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[File:Birds eye of longbeach shot by Supermillion VIsuals.jpg|thumb|Panoramic view of Long Beach]]Additionally, Long Beach is directly downwind of several of the [[South Bay, Los Angeles|South Bay]] [[oil refineries]]. Any refinery process or chemical upset that results in the atmospheric release of refinery by-products (commonly [[sulfur dioxide]])<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.aqmd.gov/comply/R1118_main.htm| title=SCAQMD Rule 1118| work=[[SCAQMD]] website| access-date=March 29, 2012| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505171346/http://aqmd.gov/comply/R1118_main.htm| archive-date=May 5, 2012| df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/2004/bs9_03_04.html| title=SCAQMD News: AQMD TO SEEK EMISSION REDUCTIONS FROM REFINERY FLARES| work=[[SCAQMD]] website| access-date=March 29, 2012| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012060051/http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/2004/bs9_03_04.html| archive-date=October 12, 2012| df=mdy-all}}</ref> will usually impact air quality in Long Beach due to the west-south-westerly prevailing wind.<ref name="lbds.info" />

Similarly, the water quality in the Long Beach portion of [[San Pedro Bay (California)|San Pedro Bay]], which is enclosed by the [[San Pedro Breakwater|Federal Breakwater]], commonly ranks among the poorest on the entire West Coast during rainy periods. Long Beach beaches average a D or F grade on beach water quality during rainy periods in the ''Beach Report Card'' published by [[Heal the Bay]].<ref name="Heal the Bay">{{cite web| url=http://brc.healthebay.org/?st=CA&f=1&tabid=2| title=Beach Report Card for California| work=Heal the Bay website| access-date=February 4, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514225904/http://brc.healthebay.org/?st=CA&f=1&tabid=2| archive-date=May 14, 2011| url-status=live}}</ref> However, during dry periods the water may have an A or B rating in the same reports. The [[Los Angeles River]] discharges directly into the Long Beach side of San Pedro Bay, meaning a large portion of all the [[urban runoff]] from the entire Los Angeles metropolitan area pours directly into the harbor water. This runoff contains most of the debris, garbage, chemical pollutants, and biological pathogens washed into storm drains in every upstream city each time it rains. Because the breakwater prevents [[Tidal currents|tidal flushing]] and [[wave action]], these pollutants build up in the harbor. The water enclosed by the breakwater, along most of the city's beaches, can be subject to [[red tide]]s due to this stagnation as well. Because of these factors, the water in Long Beach is sometimes unsafe for swimming, up to weeks each year.<ref name="Heal the Bay" />

====Ecology====

[[File:LongBeachLongView.jpg|thumb|View from Signal Hill to Villa Riviera and port cranes (c. 2009)]]

The area has historically included several ecological communities, with coastal scrub dominating.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/wildlife_habitats.asp | title=Wildlife Habitats | work=[[California Department of Fish and Game]] website | access-date=February 24, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302175730/http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/wildlife_habitats.asp | archive-date=March 2, 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref>