AI-generatedMonterey, California at a glance
- Best time
- Jul – Sep
- Warmest month
- Sep · 22°
- Warmest sea
- Sep · 14.9°
- Sunshine a year
- 3,000 h
- Rain a year
- 457 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC−8 / UTC−7
- Elevation
- 8 m
Climate in Monterey, California
Monterey, California has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. September is the warmest month with average highs of 22 °C, while December is the coolest at 15 °C. With around 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, Monterey, California is sunny; July is the sunniest month with 10.9 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: July – September
Good forSightseeing & walks
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 13°
- Midday, 13:00: about 20°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 20°
- Evening, 20:00: about 16°
- Night, 23:00: about 15°
07:1418:33
Cool evenings: pack a jumper or a jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:58–07:48 · evening 17:58–18:49
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:48–06:58 · evening 18:49–18:59
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Monterey, California in October?
In October, Monterey, California is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 2 days bring 19 mm in total. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 19 min07:14 – 18:33
- UV index
- 5 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 12 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 32 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC−7America/Los_Angeles
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %23 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %83 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %100 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- A jumper for the evenings
Sea temperature in Monterey, California
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 13.3 – 16.1 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Monterey, California ranges from 12.0 °C in April to 14.9 °C in September. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
The sea temperature varies from year to year: in September, eight out of ten years were between 13.8 and 16.4 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 12.7° | 11.6° | 13.7° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 12.5° | 11.5° | 13.6° | cold |
| MarchMar | 12.3° | 11.1° | 13.7° | cold |
| AprilApr | 12.0° | 10.9° | 13.0° | cold |
| MayMay | 12.0° | 11.0° | 13.2° | cold |
| JuneJun | 12.7° | 11.7° | 13.9° | cold |
| JulyJul | 13.7° | 13.0° | 14.5° | cold |
| AugustAug | 14.5° | 13.3° | 16.0° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 14.9° | 13.8° | 16.4° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 14.5° | 13.3° | 16.1° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 13.7° | 12.6° | 14.8° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 13.1° | 11.7° | 14.6° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Monterey, California
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 8.0 of 11.3 hours of daylight in Monterey, California, 71 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Monterey, California
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 5 · moderateAround midday seek shade; use sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 10).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 30 min
- Fair skin
- about 35 min
- Light brown skin
- about 50 min
- Olive skin
- about 60 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Monterey, California: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Monterey, California has about 2 rainy days with 19 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Monterey, California
How breezy and how cloudy Monterey, California is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Monterey, California typically peaks at 12 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
The daily breeze rarely reaches Beaufort 4 (20 km/h), so wind sports depend on single windy days.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 32 % of the sky over Monterey, California: mostly sunny, with about 8.0 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Monterey, California
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
CoolOctober: nights around 12°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in January (7°), the warmest in September (14°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from December to February, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 23 | 15° | 7° | 12.7° | 5.5 h | 8 | 91 |
| FebruaryFeb | 24 | 15° | 7° | 12.5° | 6.2 h | 9 | 90 |
| MarchMar | 28 | 16° | 8° | 12.3° | 7.2 h | 8 | 67 |
| AprilApr | 38 | 16° | 9° | 12.0° | 8.8 h | 5 | 32 |
| MayMay | 40 | 18° | 10° | 12.0° | 9.9 h | 3 | 14 |
| JuneJun | 44 | 20° | 12° | 12.7° | 10.7 h | 0 | 2 |
| JulyJul | 52 | 21° | 13° | 13.7° | 10.9 h | 0 | 1 |
| AugustAug | 56 | 22° | 14° | 14.5° | 10.2 h | 0 | 2 |
| SeptemberSep | 57 | 22° | 14° | 14.9° | 9.3 h | 1 | 3 |
| OctoberOct | 45 | 20° | 12° | 14.5° | 8.0 h | 2 | 19 |
| NovemberNov | 29 | 17° | 9° | 13.7° | 6.4 h | 6 | 46 |
| DecemberDec | 22 | 15° | 7° | 13.1° | 5.3 h | 8 | 90 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
36.60° N, 121.89° W · 8 m · America/Los_Angeles
Best time to visit Monterey, California
The best time to visit Monterey, California is from July to September. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in September it only reaches 14.9 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from March to November. The wettest month is January with 91 mm of precipitation.
Monterey, California through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Monterey, California in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 16–18 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 9 h of sun a day
- 16 rainy days in all
Monterey, California in summer
Jun – Aug
Fair
- 20–22 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 11 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy days in all
Monterey, California in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 17–22 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 8 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days in all
Monterey, California in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 15 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 25 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Monterey, California for you.
Your best months: July – September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Monterey, California
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
September has the better holiday weather in Monterey, California: score 57 against 45. In September, days are 2 °C warmer than in October. The sea is about as warm in both months. September has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines an hour longer a day in September.
| Month | October | September |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 45 | 57better |
| Day high | 20° | 22° |
| Night low | 12° | 14° |
| Sea | 14.5° | 14.9° |
| Sunshine | 8.0 h | 9.3 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 2 | 1better |
| Rainfall | 19 mm | 3 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Mar – Nov
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Monterey, California month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
23January15° · Sea 13° · 6 h
In January, Monterey, California is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 12.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 91 mm. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in January24February15° · Sea 13° · 6 h
In February, Monterey, California is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 12.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 90 mm. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in February28March16° · Sea 12° · 7 h
In March, Monterey, California is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 12.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 67 mm. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in March38April16° · Sea 12° · 9 h
In April, Monterey, California is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 5 days, adding up to 32 mm. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in April40May18° · Sea 12° · 10 h
In May, Monterey, California is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 14 mm in total. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in May44June20° · Sea 13° · 11 h
In June, Monterey, California is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 12.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in June52July21° · Sea 14° · 11 h
In July, Monterey, California is warm: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 13.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in July56August22° · Sea 15° · 10 h
In August, Monterey, California is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in August57September22° · Sea 15° · 9 h
In September, Monterey, California is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sea averages 14.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 9 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in September45October20° · Sea 15° · 8 h
In October, Monterey, California is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 2 days bring 19 mm in total. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in October29November17° · Sea 14° · 6 h
In November, Monterey, California is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 13.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 46 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in November22December15° · Sea 13° · 5 h
In December, Monterey, California is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 13.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 90 mm. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California in DecemberMonterey, California compared
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Monterey vs. Carmel-by-the-Sea
In October Monterey has the better holiday weather (score 45 vs. 37). During the day Carmel-by-the-Sea is 2 °C cooler than Monterey. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Monterey | Carmel-by-the-Sea |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 45 | 37 |
| Daytime high | 20° | 18° |
| Sea | 15° | 15° |
| Sunshine | 8 h | 8 h |
| Rainy days | 2 | 2 |
| Best time | Jul – Sep | Apr – Oct |
Through the year
USA in October: the best places
In October, Monterey, California ranks 30 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Las Vegas26°99
- 2Mariposa (Yosemite)23°98
- 3Los Angeles26°19°98
- 4Long Beach25°19°98
- 5Sedona23°97
- 6San Jose23°96
- 7Sacramento25°96
- 8Page (Lake Powell)21°96
- 30MontereyThis page20°15°45
Planning a trip to Monterey, California
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Monterey, California in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Monterey, California has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 55) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 23).
- 35
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 16 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 8.3 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 41
May half-term
May – Jun
Fair
- 18 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 10.1 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 55
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
FairBest holidays
- 21 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 10.4 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 45
October half-term
Oct
Fair
- 20 °C by day
- Sea 15 °C
- 8.0 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 23
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 15 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 5.4 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 11 h
- Distance
- 8,690 km
- Time zone
- UTC−7
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (8 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Monterey, California
When is the best time to visit Monterey, California?
The best time to visit Monterey, California is from July to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Monterey, California?
The sea temperature in Monterey, California ranges from 12.0 °C in April to 14.9 °C in September. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Monterey, California in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 14.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Monterey, California?
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 22 °C and nights around 14 °C. December is the coolest month at 15 °C.
When does it rain most in Monterey, California?
The wettest month is January with 91 mm of precipitation. The driest month is July with 1 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Monterey, California get?
Monterey, California gets around 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 10.9 hours a day; in December there are 5.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Monterey, California in?
Monterey, California uses the time zone America/Los_Angeles: UTC−8 in January and UTC−7 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Monterey, California?
A nonstop flight from London to Monterey, California takes about 11 h, for a straight-line distance of about 8,690 km.
Which school holidays are best for Monterey, California?
Monterey, California has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 55) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 23). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 35, May half-term 41, Summer holidays 55, October half-term 45, Christmas holidays 23.
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