How Reno Ends Up West of Los Angeles
On a north-up map, “inland” can feel like it should mean east of every coastal city. But inland describes distance from the sea, not a place’s position from north to south. Longitude—the east–west coordinate—settles the comparison: Reno is at a more westerly longitude than Los Angeles.
California’s Coastline Changes the Map
California’s coast does not run straight north to south. As it heads south from the northern part of the state, it bends progressively eastward. Los Angeles sits on that southeastern stretch of coast, while Reno lies inland near the Nevada border, across the Sierra Nevada. So Reno can be both far from the Pacific and west of Los Angeles.
The comparison depends on which coastal city you choose: Reno is east of San Francisco, but west of Los Angeles. “Inland” tells you how far a place is from the coast; it does not tell you whether it is east or west of a particular city.
