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Monterey Weather: What to Wear by Season and Month
by Jill Loeffler •
Visitors will be happy to know that Monterey weather is mild all year long. The average highs are in the 60s most of the year, with lows around 50 degrees Fahrenheit each night.
Make sure to pack plenty of layers for your stay, as we don't get the warm sunny days here that are usually associated with southern California.
The weather in this part of the state is still very mild, as the cool ocean breezes and fog this far north control the temperatures. This keeps them comfortable, but cool.
September is the warmest time of year with highs up to 70 during the day. Both December and January are the coolest with highs in the upper 50s.
Rainy season in the Monterey Bay area runs from November to March. You will find traces of rain the rest of the year, but very little accumulation in terms of inches or centimeters.
The cool yet comfortable temperatures make Monterey a great place to visit throughout the year.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
What to Pack for Monterey Weather
With cool temperatures all year long and moderate humidity, you will find that you will need to pack for the changing weather during your stay. It's cool and breezy most mornings, so you'll need to start off your day with something a little warmer, like a light jacket, windbreaker, or light sweater, or a combination of those.
As the day progresses, it will warm up a little, which means you can remove a layer or two and still be comfortable. It cools down quickly at night, so you will most likely need to add another layer to stay warm.
I typically wear a short-sleeved shirt with a light sweater. I will then layer those with a light to medium jacket depending on the time of year. That gives me plenty of options to add and remove pieces to stay warm or cool down.
Most places here are casual, so unless you have planned a fancy dinner or a night on the town, you can pack simple, relaxed items for your stay. I also recommend wearing comfortable shoes. You will most likely do plenty of walking, as there is so much to see and do here.
Should you bring a bathing suit for the beach? Most of the beaches here are beautiful and you will find a handful of people soaking in the sun. However, with temperatures usually hovering around the mid-60s, you will find most days are too cool for bathing suit weather.
I highly recommend spending time at our beaches, but bring along some items to stay warm. The water here on the Pacific coast is also quite cool, with temperatures usually in the 50s or possibly lower. So, even if it is a little warmer outside, the water is usually too cool for just a bathing suit.
If you do want to swim, you can pick up a wet or dry suit at any of the local diving stores around Monterey.
Spring
Spring is a wonderful time to visit, as everything is green from the winter rainy season. You will find the Monterey weather this time of year in the lower 60s with very little rain in the forecast.
April
The Monterey weather in April is usually in the lower 60s during the day. The average high is 62 this month and the average low dips down to the mid-40s.
You will find a little rain this time of year. The average rainfall is about an inch and a half.
Although we have outdoor festivals throughout the year, this is when you will find an increase in festivals and outdoor activities as spring starts to bring the Monterey area to life.
>> Find fun things to do in April
May
By May, the rain has almost completely stopped. We get less than an inch, so you might encounter a little drizzle one day, but not too much.
It warms up just a little from April, with the average high at 63 and the average low at 48.
May is when the festival calendar really heats up, my top picks being the California Roots Music & Arts Festival, Salinas Valley Fair, and the Carmel Art Festival.
>> Uncover great events in May in Monterey
Summer
While much of the US heats up in the summer, Monterey weather offers a great escape from the hot and humid temperatures in other parts of the country.
Due to the ocean breezes, temperatures are in the mid-60s and there is almost no rain this time of year.
June
The average temperatures in June are about two degrees warmer than May. The highs are in the mid-60s. The temps dip down to about 50 at night.
Don't forget to pack a light jacket and some long pants for this time of year!
You will also find basically no rain in June, with the average of about one-quarter of an inch.
You will find lots of fun things to do in Monterey in June, including the Monterey Wine Festival, Castroville Artichoke Festival, and Carmel Valley Art & Wine Celebration.
It's also a fun time to head out on the water for a cruise or to do some whale watching.
>> Find fun things to do in June
July
July warms up a little more. The Monterey weather this month offers average highs around 66 and lows just above 50. You will most likely not encounter any rain during the month of July.
During the month of July, you can enjoy outdoor activities such as the Fourth of July celebrations and the California Rodeo in Salinas, as well as indoor concerts of the two-week-long Carmel Bach Festival.
>> More fun things to do in July
August
The Monterey weather in August continues to heat up just a little more. You will find this is one of the busier times of the year, as most people visiting are trying to escape the heat of the summer in other areas of the country.
The highs in August reach up to around 68 degrees. The lows make it cool at night and hover just above 50 degrees. It may be summer, but don't forget to pack a sweater or jacket for your stay so you can sit outside on our gorgeous cool evenings.
Top things to do this month include shopping along Cannery Row, checking out the exotic cars during Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and heading to the Monterey County Fair in late August.
Fall
Fall is my favorite time of the year in Monterey. This is when things start to slow down a bit, but the temperature is the best. This is the warmest time of the year and we have very little rain this season.
September
September is usually the warmest month in Monterey. The highs break out of the 60s and reach 70 degrees most days. You will find it a bit warmer in early September with cooler temperatures toward the end of the month.
At night, our temperatures still dip down into the mid- to lower 50s. So, early in the month they will be closer to the mid-50s and toward the end of the month they will be closer to the lower 50s.
September is the perfect time to get out on the water. This time of year, both the humpback and blue whales continue their migration through the area. You will also find lots of fun festivals and outdoor activities.
>> Find out more about what to do when visiting in September
October
In October, the Monterey weather begins to cool down again. Early in the month, you will find a few days in the lower 70s, but most start to dip back into the upper 60s. The average high this month is around 68, with warmer days at the start of the month and cooler days toward the end of the month.
Later in the month is the official start to our rainy season, although we still only average about an inch of rain in October.
Not only is the weather perfect this month, but it's the time of year when the Monarch butterflies start to return to the area for mating season. You will find the largest concentration around the Pacific Grove Butterfly Sanctuary.
Some of the best events this month include the Monterey History Fest, Point Sur Lighthouse Halloween Tours, and plenty of other Halloween fun.
>> Find details for the best events in October
Winter
The winters here are also mild. This is the time of year when you will find the coolest temps. It's also our rainy season, which means most months get between 3 to 4 inches throughout the year. The rain is often a light mist, so as long as you bring along some light rain gear, you will have no problems still enjoying many of our outdoor activities.
You will also find some great indoor activities here on those days when it's too rainy or cool to be outside for very long.
Tourism during this time is also slower, which means less waiting in line and more access to some of the best Monterey attractions.
November
In November, the Monterey weather offers cool, breezy and sometimes rainy days. The temperatures toward the beginning on the month are in the mid-60s and cool down to around the high 50s and low 60s toward the end of the month.
The evenings also cool off quite a bit with the incoming rainy season. Nights will be in the lower 50s to upper 40s throughout the month.
This is the time of year when events start to move inside, although you will still find several fun outdoor activities. Some of my favorites this month include the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival, Monterey Bay Half Marathon, and TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational.
>> Find a full list of events for November
December & January
December and January offer similar weather. They are the two coolest months of the year. Temperatures during the day for both months hover around 58 degrees. The evenings cool off to around the mid-40s.
The rainy season really starts to pick up during this time of year also. January is rainier than December. In December, we usually get about 3.5 inches of rain with up to 4.5 inches in January. January is the rainiest month of the year in the Monterey area.
Make sure to bring along some light rain gear to stay dry, so you can still enjoy the outdoors.
My favorite things to do these months include the family-friendly New Year's Eve festivities in Monterey, Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, and Whalefest! at the Monterey Fisherman's Wharf.
Even though it's cool and a little rainy this time of year, I find it's the best time to go whale watching. This is when the gray whales are making their way through the area during their migration south after mating season in Alaska.
You will find a lot of boats on the water searching for whales throughout the season. It also may not be as busy as the other seasons, even though there is still so much to do here.
February
Rainy season is still here throughout the month of February. However, the temperatures start to warm up a little bit.
We get about 4 inches throughout the month. Temperatures sit at around 60 during the day and cool down into the mid-40s at night. It's cool and a little rainy here this time of year, but it's a nice break from the cold weather in most of the rest of the country.
This is also a busy time in the Monterey Bay Area with the annual AT&T Pro Am Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach. This is where both professional golfers and many famous celebrities descend on Pebble Beach to show off their golfing skills.
There is plenty do to in the area for everyone who wants to attend.
>> More about all events in February
March
The Monterey weather in March continues to warm up a bit. It's the official end to our rainy season with about 3.5 inches of rain throughout the month.
The highs in March are in the lower 60s. It still cools down quite a bit at night with the temperature hovering around 45 degrees. You will find that it's usually rainier and cooler toward the beginning of the month with a slight warm up and less rain toward the end of the month.
My favorite events in March include Jazz Bash by the Bay, Saint Patrick's Day activities, and the Carmel Jewish Film Festival.
>> Find more great things to do in March in the Monterey Bay area
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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It's a great place to interact with me and others who know the area well.
You can ask questions, get advice for your upcoming stay, and then share your photos and advice with others when you return home. It's a great community and the fastest way to get answers to those nagging questions about your visit!
