Why is northern virginia colder than california although they seem to be latitudinally rather close ?

Question

I notice the great lakes are closer to northern virginia than they are to california .. and that the desert(s) are on the western part of the country .. but am not sure that's the reason ..

Answer 1

California sits on the Pacific ocean, and its influence mitigates the weather due to the fact that the prevailing wind flow from it and over the U.S. is from west to east. Although Virginia sits on the Atlantic ocean, it does not have a body of water to its WEST, but rather cold areas of land; thus, Virginia is generally colder than California.

Answer 2

Don't quote me on it, but I think its the jet stream. If I recall weather maps right the jet stream is high up in the Western part of the US, dips in the Middle, and starts to rise again by the East Coast, but VA would still be over it, and norther CA under it.