El Centro, California
Imperial County
Location / Description
The City of El Centro is located 128 miles east of San Diego, 60 miles west of Yuma, Arizona and 10 miles north of Mexicali, Mexico. It is accessible via Interstate 8, State Highway 86 and State Highway 111. Its name, "El Centro" is Spanish for "The Center". It is the county seat of the Imperial Valley, which is primarily an agricultural community created when Colorado River water was diverted for this purpose in the early part of the 20th century. (Click here to read more about the history of irrigation in the Imperial Valley.)
Population / Elevation
Population 44,000
Total area: 10.257 square miles
El Centro is located at 32°47′17″N, 115°33′29″W(32.788139, -115.557966)
Sea Level: 52 feet below
Weather / Climate
The largest city in the United States below sea level, El Centro is located in the Sonoran Desert and typically receives less than 3 inches of rain a year. Temperatures are in the 70s and 80s in the winter, rising to the 90s and mid-100s in the summer.
Monthly Normal Temperatures |
||||||||||||
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
High °F |
70 |
75 |
79 |
86 |
94 |
103 |
107 |
106 |
101 |
91 |
78 |
70 |
Low °F |
41 |
45 |
49 |
54 |
61 |
68 |
76 |
77 |
71 |
59 |
47 |
41 |
Avg. Rain |
0.51 |
0.36 |
0.31 |
0.05 |
0.03 |
0.01 |
0.06 |
0.32 |
0.36 |
0.35 |
0.17 |
0.43 |
Hotels/Motels
There are hotels and motels in El Centro, with something for every taste and price range.
Camping & RV Parks
There are commercial and public locations for camping and RVs in and near El Centro. For a complete list contact:
El Centro Area Chamber of Commerce
1095 South 4th Street
El
Centro, CA 92243
Phone: 760.352.3681 • Fax: 760.352.3246
El Centro's history is entwined with the colorful history of the irrigation of the desert. Inhabited only by a few surveyors before the Colorado River's diversion through canals, "...by 1905, the residents numbered 12,000. Irrigated acreage had increased from 1,500 acres to 67,000 acres." (El Centro Chamber of Commerce) The city was incorporated in 1908. Since then, it has become an important agricultural area with over 500,000 acres in production. Goethermal, manufacturing and other industries are also finding a home here.
Things To Do
The Imperial Valley has many golf courses, some in Holtville and Brawley and two in and around El Centro. El Centro is not far from the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, which is popular not only with OHV enthusiasts, but offers a myriad of photographic opportunities. Bird watching and nature viewing at the Salton Sea are also popular pursuits. Its proximity to Mexico makes trips across the border an attractive option.
Events Calendar
- January: Snowbird Breakfast for winter visitors, Imperial Valley
Business Showcase, Carnivale on Main at the Plaza Park in Brawley, Niland Sportsmen & Tomato
Festival
- February: Salton Sea International Bird Festival (annually near Presidents Day weekend)
- March: California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta, Blue Angels Air Show
- April: Mariachi Festival Sin Fronteras
- May: Calico's Annual Spring Festival & Cook-off (Mothers Day weekend)
- June:
- July: Freedom Fest Independence Day Celebration
- August:
- September: 16th of September Fiesta in Calexico
- October:
- November: Cattle Call
December: Los Vigilantes/Merchants Christmas Parade - February: Salton Sea International Bird Festival (annually near Presidents Day weekend)
Resources
Cities & Towns
Parks & Monuments
- Anza Borrego Desert State Park - 69 miles northwest
Wilderness & Recreation Areas
- Imperial Sand Dunes BLM Recreation and Wilderness Area - 45 miles east
- Heber Sand Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area - 14 miles southeast
- Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area - 60 miles northwest
- Colorado River
- Senator Wash Reservoir – about 60 miles east
- Squaw Lake – 78 miles east
- Walters Camp– 71 miles northeast
Historic & Points of Interest
- Salton Sea - 48 miles north
- Tumco Ghost Town - 44 miles east
Related DesertUSA Pages
- How to Turn Your Smartphone into a Survival Tool
- 26 Tips for Surviving in the Desert
- Death by GPS
- 7 Smartphone Apps to Improve Your Camping Experience
- Maps Parks and More
- Desert Survival Skills
- How to Keep Ice Cold in the Desert
- Desert Rocks, Minerals & Geology Index
- Preparing an Emergency Survival Kit
- Get the Best Hotel and Motel Rates
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