Peak Sun Hours in Los Angeles, California, United States
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- June (8.1)
- Worst month
- December (2.9)
- Climate
- Temperate · 17.3°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.16 | 3.80 | 5.39 | 1.00 | 12.0 | 59 |
| Feb | 4.04 | 4.92 | 6.00 | 1.18 | 12.2 | 63 |
| Mar | 5.38 | 6.34 | 6.84 | 1.54 | 13.8 | 64 |
| Apr | 6.65 | 7.65 | 7.79 | 1.72 | 15.1 | 63 |
| May | 7.49 | 8.42 | 8.71 | 1.67 | 17.5 | 62 |
| Jun | 8.10 | 8.74 | 9.76 | 1.44 | 20.4 | 57 |
| Jul | 7.93 | 8.34 | 9.45 | 1.42 | 23.4 | 52 |
| Aug | 7.45 | 7.71 | 9.40 | 1.23 | 23.9 | 49 |
| Sep | 6.26 | 6.61 | 8.55 | 1.11 | 23.0 | 50 |
| Oct | 4.79 | 5.26 | 7.36 | 1.01 | 19.5 | 52 |
| Nov | 3.57 | 4.05 | 6.27 | 0.92 | 15.5 | 53 |
| Dec | 2.86 | 3.45 | 5.25 | 0.90 | 11.8 | 58 |
GHI, Clear-sky, DNI, DHI in kWh/m²/day. Data: NASA POWER climatology (long-term monthly averages).
Off-grid calculator
Add appliances
- Add an appliance to size a system.
Sizing
- Daily load
- 0.00 kWh
- Panel wattage
- 0 W
- Panel count (400W modules)
- 0
- Battery bank
- 0.0 kWh
Sizing against worst-month PSH of 2.86 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.64 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Los Angeles is June (summer) at 8.1 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (winter) at 2.86 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the December value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Los Angeles's solar conditions are well within the range where off-grid PV is a straightforward engineering exercise with standard-sized arrays and lithium batteries.
FAQ
- What are the peak sun hours in Los Angeles?
- Los Angeles averages 5.64 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 2.86 in December to 8.1 in June.
- How many solar panels do I need in Los Angeles?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Los Angeles's annual average of 5.64 kWh/m²/day, a 5 kWh/day load needs roughly 3 × 400 W panels. Use the calculator above for your actual load.
- What size battery do I need in Los Angeles?
- Sizing against Los Angeles's worst month (December, 2.86 kWh/m²/day) with 2 days of autonomy at 80% depth of discharge, a 5 kWh/day load needs about a 12.5 kWh battery bank.
- How does Los Angeles's solar resource compare globally?
- Los Angeles sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.64 kWh/m²/day — excellent by global standards. For reference, top-tier desert sites average ~6.5 and high-latitude cities around 2.5 kWh/m²/day.
- How much does winter reduce solar output in Los Angeles?
- Los Angeles's worst month (December) delivers 2.86 kWh/m²/day — about 35% of the summer peak of 8.1. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Los Angeles's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Los Angeles's 5.64 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Los Angeles?
- At Los Angeles's latitude (34°), a fixed tilt near 34° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.