Chapter 2: Environmental Setting

Geography

   One of the biggest reasons why visiting San Francisco was so memorable was because the whole city is surrounded by water. Within its boundaries stretch the Pacific Ocean to its west and The San Francisco Bay to its east. What was more fascinating was that the city also consists of several islands such as Alcatraz.

For an island this small, Alcatraz sure has a long line of history. Between the 1930s and the 1960s,  it was used as a federal prison.  It was also significant for having a lighthouse, military fortification, and military prison. Today, it is a very popular tourist destination.

 

    Another thing that makes San Francisco so unique is that it is famous for being so hilly. The city consists of more than 50 different hills. In fact, these hills can reach up to 1000 feet in height and so the temperature can actually vary within different parts of the city.
    Unfortunately to consider, the city is very prone to having Earthquakes. From Southern California, the San Andreas fault stretch through the area we live in all the way up through the Bay Area. Much like Los Angeles, San Francisco had their fair share of large earthquakes.

Climate

San Francisco Surrounded by large water bodies

   If you want to avoid Los Angeles heat during the summer, vacationing in San Francisco would be the right choice. The weather is characterized as having a Mediterranean Climate. That is, the city has moist winters and dry summers. It is also interesting to note that because San Francisco is bordered on three sides by water bodies, its weather is significantly influenced by the cool currents from the Pacific Ocean. As a result, it has the coolest average temperature in the summer among all major cities in the United States.





source:
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/PEAK-EXPERIENCE-2636879.php
http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm

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