February in Los Angeles: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

February is an excellent time to visit Los Angeles if you want to enjoy the place without fighting your way through the crowds of tourists that show up every summer. On a typical day, you'll have blue skies, and if you're lucky, you can watch a spectacular sunset from the beach.

People sometimes ask whether it's cold in Los Angeles in February. The answer depends on what you're used to and how you define cold. The city's average low of 50 degrees F may sound like a heatwave if you're from a northern climate, but that same temperature will send an Angeleno rummaging through their closet for a wool scarf, gloves, and fur-lined boots.

• Average High Temperature: 68 F (20 C)
• Average Low Temperature: 50 F (10 C)
• Water Temperature: 58 F (14.5 C)
• Rain: 3.27 inches (8.3 cm)
• Sunshine: 8 hours
• Daylight: 11 hours
• UV Index: 4

February is in the middle of Los Angeles' rainy season, and sometimes the monthly rainfall happens all on the same day.

If the weather tries to dampen your vacation fun, try these things to do on a rainy day in Los Angeles.

If you're still deciding what month to visit LA and want to get an idea of what it's like in other months, use the Los Angeles weather guide. 

The temperatures above will give you an idea of what kind of clothing you may need, but check the short-range forecast: A February day could be cold, rainy, and windy — or so warm that you'll want your shorts and flip-flops.

For rainy days, a rain jacket with a hood is a better idea than an umbrella, which makes it hard to navigate through crowds and is messy to stow when you're not using it. A mid-weight jacket will be enough on dry days. Unless you're going to the ski slopes, leave the heavy winter coat at home. Layers work best to be comfortable in all the microclimates you'll find in the Los Angeles area.

Packing experts suggest creating a capsule wardrobe for travel. You can find suggestions for the number of tops, bottoms, layers, and shoes you need at Classy Yet Trendy. For Los Angeles in February, choose short to mid-length sleeved tops, full-length bottoms, or tights to wear under a skirt, light to mid-weight outer layers that are rainproof if it's in the forecast. Shoes should first and foremost be comfortable.

Go Whale Watching: In Los Angeles, you can see whales nearly year-round: gray whales in winter and blue whales during the summer months. Find the best places to see them and when in the guides to Los Angeles whale watching and Orange County whale watching.

Celebrate President's Day: It happens on the third Monday of February. To learn more about the American Presidency, try a visit to the Ronald Reagan Library or the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Orange County.

Camellias Bloom at Huntington Gardens: More than 1,200 cultivars of flowering camellias make Huntington Gardens one of the best places in the country to see them. They bloom from January to March.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year: Celebrate the new year according to the Chinese calendar by going to the Golden Dragon Parade. Chinese and Vietnamese New Year (which are celebrated on the same day) are lunar holidays and may also happen in late January. You can find out this year's date at ChineseNewYear.net.

Watch a Professional Sports Team Play: LA has not one but two NBA teams, and they both call the Staples Center downtown their home court. Check the schedule for the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers. The LA Kings hockey team also plays at the Staples Center.

• The Edwardian Ball: It's a little hard to describe, but definitely more fun than dressing up for Halloween. The Ball is a surreal mix of dance, fantasy, and fun, best enjoyed while dressed in Edwardian-era clothing or steampunk attire.
• Los Angeles Marathon: You may not be thinking of running 26 miles through the Los Angeles city streets, but no matter what you want to do, use this guide to plan whether you're going to run it, cheer for the participants — or avoid it altogether.
• Cupid's Undie Run: For some people, running around LA in their underwear sounds like a recurring nightmare, but participants in this a “brief,” one-mile fun run do it for charity.

When a cool day follows a winter rain, skies are sometimes exceptionally clear and ideal for photography.

If your idea of what Southern California beaches are like comes from television and the movies, reset your expectations. On most February days, it's too chilly to run around on the beach in your skimpiest swimwear and definitely too cold to go into the water unless you're wearing a full neoprene wetsuit. But that doesn't mean that a walk at the beach isn't a fun thing to do.

Any time of year, you can use these tips to be a smarter Los Angeles visitor who has more fun and puts up with fewer annoyances.