Although Los Angeles is "just down the hill" there is a dramatic difference in the weather and geography of the Antelope Valley, the premier gateway to the California High Desert and Western Mojave Desert Region. As the hub of the Antelope Valley, Lancaster experiences a moderate semiarid, four season climate with low humidity and average annual precipitation of four inches of rainfall. Winters are colder and summers are hotter and drier. Spring weather can be blustery as the breezes race down the mountain slopes that surround the Valley. Autumns are clear and crisp with fall colors blanketing the Valley.
Blue skys and starry nights are the norm, and Lancaster residents welcome the wind to keep the skies clear of smog (Lancaster is virtually fog free and flying days average 360 per year) and seek the gusts for kites and hot air balloons.
Weather patterns are dictated by the mountain ranges that surround the Valley. Geographically the Antelope Valley is a triangular shaped plain encompassing approximately 3,000 square miles ranging from 2,100 to 3,000 feet in elevation. With the Tehachapi Mountains due north and the San Gabriel Mountains to the south, the Valley is the gateway to the Mojave Desert, the sole home to the infamous Joshua Tree. Surrounding mountains provide a contrast to the desert floor adding lakes and streams to the divers geography of the area. The open spaces of the high desert offer a multitude of outdoor life and landscape options.
The average monthly temperature of 61 degrees appears to be ideal, but the truth is winters have been as low as 2 degrees (recorded in 1984) and summers as high as 110. Due to the low humidity in the area, this is a very dry heat, and much more comfortable. Evening breezes make the summer outdoors a wonderful experience. The average snowfall is four to five inches every three to four years, with occasional years experiencing a white Christmas of 16 to 24 inches. Local mountains host snow skiing each season.
Latitude 34, 42 Min. 30 Sec. North
Longitude 113, 9 Min 30 Sec. West
Elevation 2100-4000 ft.
