All this talk about climate...you don't realize how good NorCal still has it compared to the rest of the country. I've lived in the Midwest and Northwest for 95% of my life and the climate sucks for at least 60% of the year.
Anyhow I've been in SoCal nearly 2 years. There's a lot of great things about this state but objectively speaking there's a ton of problems too, most notably cost of living/taxes. But OP it sounds like moving here is the right career choice for you. In my profession I'm free to move wherever and actually earn more and pay less in taxes. But something about California makes it very difficult to leave!
As others have alluded to, NorCal and SoCal are extremely different. I spent most of my life visiting NorCal. It has it's pros and cons for sure. More nerdy/techy/hippie culture, lots of natural beauty and things to do (in a different way from SoCal), great schools and universities, and actual downtown in SF, etc. I could see myself living there, but SoCal has a lot more sex appeal and a unique culture in its own right.
