Editing Santa Monica, California (section)

== Geography ==
Santa Monica rests on a mostly flat slope that angles down toward [[Ocean Avenue (Santa Monica)|Ocean Avenue]] and toward the south. High bluffs separate the north side of the city from the beaches. Santa Monica borders the L.A. neighborhoods of [[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles|Pacific Palisades]] to the north and [[Venice, Los Angeles|Venice]] to the south. To the west, Santa Monica has a 3-mile coastline fronting [[Santa Monica Bay]], and to the east of the city are the L.A. communities of [[West Los Angeles]] and [[Brentwood, Los Angeles|Brentwood]].

=== Climate ===
[[File:Aerial view of Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California LCCN2013632670.tif|thumb|left|View of [[Santa Monica Pier]]]]
Santa Monica has a [[Mediterranean climate|coastal Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Csb'').<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Beck | first1 = Hylke E. | last2 = Zimmermann | first2 = Niklaus E. | last3 = McVicar | first3 = Tim R. R. | last4 = Vergopolan | first4 = Noemi | last5 = Berg | first5 = Alexis | last6 = Wood | first6 = Eric F. F. | date = October 30, 2018 | title = Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution | journal = Scientific Data | volume = 5 | pages = 180214 | doi = 10.1038/sdata.2018.214 | pmid = 30375988 | pmc = 6207062 | bibcode = 2018NatSD...580214B | url = https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata2018214.pdf }}</ref> It receives an average of 310 days of sunshine a year.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=159227&refer=| title=Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Los Angeles, California, United States of America| publisher=Weatherbase.com| access-date=August 13, 2009| archive-date=January 11, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111084326/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=159227&refer=| url-status=live}}</ref> It is in [[USDA plant hardiness zone]] 11a.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-california-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php | title=Interactive USDA Gardening and Plant Hardiness Zone Map for California | publisher=Plantmaps.com | access-date=October 31, 2016 | archive-date=November 22, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122130928/http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-california-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php | url-status=live }}</ref> Because of its location, nestled on the vast and open Santa Monica Bay, morning fog is a common phenomenon in May, June, July and early August (caused by ocean temperature variations and currents). Like other inhabitants of the greater Los Angeles area, residents have a particular terminology for this phenomenon: the "May Gray", the "[[June Gloom]]" and even "Fogust". Overcast skies are common on June mornings, but usually the strong sun burns the fog off by noon. In the late winter/early summer, daily fog is a phenomenon too. It happens suddenly and it may last some hours or past sunset time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santabarbara.com/community/weather/junegloom.asp| title = Santa Barbara.com: June Gloom| publisher=SantaBarbara.com| access-date=August 13, 2009}}</ref> Nonetheless, it will sometimes stay cloudy and cool all day during June, even as other parts of the Los Angeles area experience sunny skies and warmer temperatures. At times, the sun can be shining east of 20th Street while the beach area is overcast. As a general rule, the beach temperature is from 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 6 degrees Celsius) cooler than it is inland during summer days, and 5 to 10 degrees warmer during winter nights.

It is also in September that the highest temperatures tend to be reached. It is winter, however, when the hot, dry winds of the [[Santa Ana wind|Santa Anas]] are most common. In contrast, temperatures exceeding 10 degrees below average are rare.
[[File:Ocean Avenue.jpg|thumb|right|Ocean Avenue at sunset]]
The rainy season is from late October through late March. Winter storms usually approach from the northwest and pass quickly through the Southland. There is very little rain during the rest of the year. Yearly rainfall totals are unpredictable as rainy years are occasionally followed by droughts. There has never been any snow or frost, but there has been hail.

Santa Monica usually enjoys cool breezes blowing in from the ocean, which tend to keep the air fresh and clean. Therefore, smog is less of a problem for Santa Monica than elsewhere around Los Angeles. However, from September through November, the Santa Ana winds sometimes blow from the east, bringing smoggy and hot inland air to the beaches.

The hottest temperature ever reported in Santa Monica was {{convert|100|F|C}} on November 1, 1966, while the lowest is {{convert|33|F|C}} on March 1, 1945, and again on March 21, 1952. The highest minimum temperature is {{convert|72|F|C}} on October 24, 2007, and the lowest maximum temperature is {{convert|51|F|C}} on 4 dates in February 2001 and again March 10, 2006. The snowiest months on record are January 1954 and March 1955, both with trace amounts. They are the only months to ever report snowfall. Many months have reported no rainfall at all. Conversely, the wettest month on record is January 1995 with a total of {{convert|17.82|in}} of rainfall. The wettest year on record is 1998, with a total of {{convert|25.4|in}} of rainfall; the driest is 1989, with a total of {{convert|4.04|in}} of rainfall.<ref name = NOWData/>

{{Weather box
|location = Santa Monica, California ([[Stearns Wharf|Santa Monica Pier]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–2013
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 85
|Feb record high F = 89
|Mar record high F = 90
|Apr record high F = 91
|May record high F = 93
|Jun record high F = 92
|Jul record high F = 91
|Aug record high F = 95
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F = 99
|Nov record high F = 100
|Dec record high F = 89

|Jan avg record high F = 77.0
|Feb avg record high F = 76.8
|Mar avg record high F = 73.3
|Apr avg record high F = 77.1
|May avg record high F = 72.0
|Jun avg record high F = 73.2
|Jul avg record high F = 76.2
|Aug avg record high F = 76.8
|Sep avg record high F = 79.8
|Oct avg record high F = 83.9
|Nov avg record high F = 79.9
|Dec avg record high F = 75.4
|year avg record high F = 88.2

|Jan high F = 62.0
|Feb high F = 62.2
|Mar high F = 61.8
|Apr high F = 63.4
|May high F = 63.4
|Jun high F = 66.3
|Jul high F = 69.4
|Aug high F = 69.7
|Sep high F = 70.0
|Oct high F = 67.5
|Nov high F = 66.9
|Dec high F = 63.4
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 55.8
|Feb mean F = 56.0
|Mar mean F = 56.8
|Apr mean F = 58.3
|May mean F = 59.6
|Jun mean F = 62.7
|Jul mean F = 65.4
|Aug mean F = 66.0
|Sep mean F = 65.5
|Oct mean F = 63.0
|Nov mean F = 60.3
|Dec mean F = 56.5
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 49.6
|Feb low F = 49.7
|Mar low F = 51.8
|Apr low F = 53.2
|May low F = 55.8
|Jun low F = 59.2
|Jul low F = 61.5
|Aug low F = 62.3
|Sep low F = 60.9
|Oct low F = 58.5
|Nov low F = 53.6
|Dec low F = 49.5
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 43.6
|Feb avg record low F = 44.8
|Mar avg record low F = 46.0
|Apr avg record low F = 48.2
|May avg record low F = 51.9
|Jun avg record low F = 55.8
|Jul avg record low F = 58.9
|Aug avg record low F = 59.3
|Sep avg record low F = 57.9
|Oct avg record low F = 53.9
|Nov avg record low F = 47.7
|Dec avg record low F = 44.0
|year avg record low F = 41.6

|Jan record low F = 34
|Feb record low F = 35
|Mar record low F = 33
|Apr record low F = 39
|May record low F = 43
|Jun record low F = 45
|Jul record low F = 49
|Aug record low F = 51
|Sep record low F = 44
|Oct record low F = 42
|Nov record low F = 37
|Dec record low F = 34

|precipitation colour = 
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.08
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.10
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.74
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.57
|May precipitation inch = 0.23
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.05
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.03
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.01
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.03
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.49
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.81
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.03
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 6.8
|Feb precipitation days = 6.9
|Mar precipitation days = 4.9
|Apr precipitation days = 2.1
|May precipitation days = 1.4
|Jun precipitation days = 0.9
|Jul precipitation days = 0.5
|Aug precipitation days = 0.4
|Sep precipitation days = 0.4
|Oct precipitation days = 1.9
|Nov precipitation days = 2.4
|Dec precipitation days = 5.0

|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 = 
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|Dec snow days =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00047953&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: Santa Monica Pier, CA
|access-date = May 7, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 1981&ndash;2010)<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>
}}

=== Environment ===
[[File:Santa Monica (35285634420).jpg|thumb|left|View of the city's beaches from [[Santa Monica Bay]]]]
The city first proposed its Sustainable City Plan in 1992 and in 1994, was one of the first cities in the nation to formally adopt a comprehensive sustainability plan, setting waste reduction and water conservation policies for both public and private sector through its Office of Sustainability and the Environment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coolcalifornia.org/case-study/sustainable-santa-monica|title=Sustainable Santa Monica|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313031525/http://coolcalifornia.org/case-study/sustainable-santa-monica|url-status=live}}</ref> Eighty-two percent of the city's public works vehicles run on alternative fuels, including most of the municipal bus system, making it among the largest of such fleets in the country. Santa Monica fleet vehicles and buses source their natural gas from Redeem, a Southern California-based supplier of renewable and sustainable natural gas obtained from non-fracked methane biogas generated from organic landfill waste.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/press-room/big-blue-bus-fueling-renewable-future-one-bus-time|title=Big Blue Bus, Fueling a Renewable Future One Bus at a Time – Clean Energy Fuels|work=Clean Energy Fuels|access-date=May 24, 2016|date=July 16, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923025212/https://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/press-room/big-blue-bus-fueling-renewable-future-one-bus-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Santa Monica adopted a Community Energy Independence Initiative, with a goal of achieving complete energy independence by 2020 (vs. [[Energy in California|California's already ambitious 33% renewables goal]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OSE/Categories/Sustainability/Sustainable-City-Plan.pdf |title=Sustainability |website=www.smgov.net |access-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217065216/http://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OSE/Categories/Sustainability/Sustainable-City-Plan.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/solar.aspx|title=Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment: Solar Santa Monica|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=April 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408054240/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/solar.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The city exceeded that aspiration when, in February 2019, it switched over to electricity from the Clean Power Alliance,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cleanpoweralliance.org/|title=Clean Power Alliance|website=Clean Power Alliance|access-date=August 9, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806005000/https://cleanpoweralliance.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> with a citywide default of [[100% renewable energy|100% renewably sourced energy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Energy/Clean_Power_Alliance_FAQs.aspx|title=Santa Monica OSE - Clean Power Alliance FAQs|website=www.smgov.net|access-date=April 4, 2020|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807065020/https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Energy/Clean_Power_Alliance_FAQs.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>  That same year, the Santa Monica City Council adopted a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan aimed at achieving an 80% cut in [[carbon emissions]] by 2030, and reaching community-wide [[carbon neutrality]] by 2050 or sooner.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/05/29/santa-monica-addresses-climate-crisis-with-ambitious-carbon-emission-cuts-and-adaptation-measures|title=Santa Monica Addresses Climate Crisis with Ambitious Carbon Emission Cuts and Adaptation Measures|website=santamonica.gov|access-date=April 4, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806020033/https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/05/29/santa-monica-addresses-climate-crisis-with-ambitious-carbon-emission-cuts-and-adaptation-measures|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Annenberg beach house santa monica-FFP.jpg|thumb|right|[[Annenberg Community Beach House|Annenberg Beach House]]]]
An [[urban runoff]] facility (SMURFF), the first of its kind in the US, catches and treats {{convert|3.5|e6USgal|m3}} of water each week that would otherwise flow into the bay via storm-drains and sells it back to end-users within the city for reuse as gray-water,<ref name="santamonica.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.santamonica.com/includes/media/docs/SustainableCityReportCard.pdf|title=Santa Monica CA – Visitor Information, Hotels, Dining|work=Santa Monica|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308030548/http://www.santamonica.com/includes/media/docs/SustainableCityReportCard.pdf|archive-date=March 8, 2012|access-date=May 24, 2016}}</ref> while [[bioswale]]s throughout the city allow rainwater to percolate into and replenish the [[groundwater]]. The groundwater supply plays an important role in the city's Sustainable Water Master Plan, whereby Santa Monica has set a goal of attaining 100% water independence by 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Water/Rules___Regulations.aspx|title=Santa Monica OSE – Rules & Regulations|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630114830/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Water/Rules___Regulations.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The city has numerous programs designed to promote water conservation among residents, including a rebate for those who convert lawns to drought-tolerant gardens that require less water.<ref name="santamonica.com" />
[[File:The Pergola.jpg|thumb|left|[[Palisades Park (Santa Monica)|Palisades Park]], founded in by [[Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker|Arcadia Bandini de Baker]] in 1892]]
Santa Monica has also instituted a green building-code whereby merely constructing to code automatically renders a building equivalent to the US Green Building Council's [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED Silver standards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smdp.com/taking-the-green-out-of-green-building-certification/132959|title=Taking the green out of green building certification|work=Santa Monica Daily Press|access-date=May 24, 2016|date=March 12, 2014|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306133433/http://smdp.com/taking-the-green-out-of-green-building-certification/132959|url-status=live}}</ref> The city's Main Library is one of many LEED certified or LEED equivalent buildings in the city. It is built over a 200,000 gallon cistern that collects filtered stormwater from the roof. The water is used for landscape irrigation.

Since 2009, Santa Monica has been developing the [[Zero waste|Zero Waste]] Strategic Operations Plan by which the city will set a goal of diverting at least 95% of all waste away from landfills, and toward recycling and composting, by 2030. The plan includes a [[food waste]] composting program, which diverts 3 million pounds of restaurant food waste away from landfills annually. {{As of|2013}}, 77% of all solid waste produced citywide is diverted from landfills.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/departments/council/agendas/2013/20130319/s2013031904-A.htm|title=Zero Waste Strategic Operations Plan – City of Santa Monica|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=June 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625002850/http://www.smgov.net/departments/council/agendas/2013/20130319/s2013031904-A.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Environmentally focused initiatives include curbside recycling, curbside composting bins (in addition to trash, yard-waste, and recycle bins), farmers' markets, community gardens, garden-share, an urban forest initiative, a hazardous materials home-collection service, and a green business certification.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citymayors.com/environment/us_greencities.html |title=The greenest US cities |publisher=City Mayors |date=April 27, 2006 |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=June 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629185043/http://www.citymayors.com/environment/us_greencities.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/ |title=Environmental Programs Division (EPD) – City of Santa Monica |publisher=Smgov.net |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=June 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611064958/http://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

As in other coastal beach communities, [[coastal erosion]] due to coastal infrastructure and high human usage is an increasing challenge, and will become worse due to [[sea level rise]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica Nonprofit Fears Beach Erosion|url=https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2017/March-2017/03_31_2017_Santa_Monica_Nonprofit_Fears_Beach_Erosion.html|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=www.surfsantamonica.com}}</ref><ref name="Chiland">{{cite web|last=Chiland|first=Elijah|date=December 6, 2016|title=Here's what Santa Monica Beach will look like after it's landscaped to resist rising sea levels|url=https://la.curbed.com/2016/12/6/13856290/santa-monica-beach-fenced-off-restoration-area-rising-sea-level|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Curbed LA|language=en|archive-date=February 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206150311/https://la.curbed.com/2016/12/6/13856290/santa-monica-beach-fenced-off-restoration-area-rising-sea-level|url-status=live}}</ref> Starting in 2016, local environmental groups began dune and beach restoration projects.<ref name="Chiland"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica Beach Restoration Pilot Project|url=https://www.santamonicabay.org/explore/beaches-dunes-bluffs/beach-restoration/santa-monica-beach-restoration-pilot/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=The Bay Foundation|language=en|archive-date=January 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121102218/https://www.santamonicabay.org/explore/beaches-dunes-bluffs/beach-restoration/santa-monica-beach-restoration-pilot/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=City of Santa Monica {{!}} Official Website|url=https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/santa-monica-s-natural-dune-restoration-project-celebrates-4-years|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=www.santamonica.gov|language=en-US|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126235135/https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/santa-monica-s-natural-dune-restoration-project-celebrates-4-years|url-status=live}}</ref>