Santa Monica is at its most pleasant from April to mid December, and again in mid and late January. For walking, go from mid September to early July. It is rarely warm enough for sunbathing.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
Santa Monica never quite rates Good for sun. It comes closest in early September, at 52. The weakest stretch is from late November to March, when it drops to 0, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in August, when the sky is typically 11% covered at midday (almost cloudless).
For being outside, go from April to mid December, with a second spell in mid and late January. It peaks in early June, at 95. Avoid February to early March for this: it falls to 47, mostly because it is too cold.
The walking season here runs from mid September to early July. It peaks in mid April, at 93. The weakest stretch is in early September, when it drops to 33, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Santa Monica over the whole year is 16°C. August is the hottest month, with highs of about 21°C; February is the coldest, with lows of about 12°C. Santa Monica has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 0% in June, the driest month, to 6% in February, the wettest. Winds in Santa Monica are highest in March, averaging 2.8 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in November, at 2.4 m/s (9 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W. The clearest skies in Santa Monica come in November, when the sky is typically 23% covered; May is the cloudiest month, at 50%.
Month by month Santa Monica climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C | 12°C | 15°C | 6% | 29% | 2.6 m/s | 54 | 1 | 91 |
| February | 15°C | 12°C | 15°C | 6% | 31% | 2.7 m/s | 50 | 4 | 87 |
| March | 15°C | 12°C | 14°C | 6% | 36% | 2.8 m/s | 51 | 2 | 91 |
| April | 16°C | 14°C | 16°C | 2% | 35% | 2.6 m/s | 67 | 5 | 90 |
| May | 16°C | 15°C | 17°C | 1% | 50% | 2.6 m/s | 84 | 5 | 92 |
| June | 18°C | 17°C | 21°C | 0% | 48% | 2.7 m/s | 93 | 14 | 80 |
| July | 20°C | 19°C | 23°C | 0% | 31% | 2.8 m/s | 85 | 35 | 54 |
| August | 21°C | 19°C | 25°C | 0% | 27% | 2.7 m/s | 80 | 47 | 41 |
| September | 21°C | 19°C | 24°C | 0% | 31% | 2.5 m/s | 81 | 41 | 48 |
| October | 20°C | 17°C | 22°C | 1% | 28% | 2.5 m/s | 88 | 27 | 65 |
| November | 18°C | 14°C | 18°C | 2% | 23% | 2.4 m/s | 84 | 9 | 85 |
| December | 16°C | 12°C | 15°C | 5% | 27% | 2.7 m/s | 63 | 1 | 91 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Santa Monica weather by season
Year round, Santa Monica has days of about 15°C at their warmest in March, its coolest month, and 21°C in August, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 12°C to 19°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 16°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around February and least likely around June. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Santa Monica weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Santa Monica has typical daily highs of about 16°C and lows of about 12°C, with a 6% chance of rain on a given day.
Santa Monica weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Santa Monica has typical daily highs of about 16°C and lows of about 14°C, with a 3% chance of rain on a given day.
Santa Monica weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Santa Monica has typical daily highs of about 20°C and lows of about 18°C, with a 0% chance of rain on a given day.
Santa Monica weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Santa Monica has typical daily highs of about 20°C and lows of about 17°C, with a 1% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Santa Monica?
Santa Monica has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 0% in June, the driest month, to 6% in February, the wettest.
What time of year is Santa Monica windiest?
Winds in Santa Monica are highest in March, averaging 2.8 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in November, at 2.4 m/s (9 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W.
What is the average temperature in Santa Monica year round?
The average temperature in Santa Monica over the whole year is 16°C. August is the hottest month, with highs of about 21°C; February is the coldest, with lows of about 12°C.
Where to go instead in early March, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.