Santa Cruz Main Beach Weather

BeachSan Francisco Bay Area

Classic boardwalk beach

61°
😌
Comfort Score
73(B-)
Very Good
Weather updated August 16, 2026 at 9:16 PM PDT

Santa Cruz Main Beach weather at a glance

Santa Cruz Main Beach is a beach at 10 feet in San Francisco Bay Area. Classic boardwalk beach. Notable features include family-friendly, boardwalk, and swimming.

Current conditions are 61°F, feeling like 61°F, with 91% humidity, winds near 5 mph, 100% cloud cover, and a 0% chance of precipitation. Mild and humid and overcast.

The location-specific climate baseline shows an average daily high of 66°F and an average low of 48°F, with about 10.6 hours of sunshine per day and 1.2 hours of morning fog per day. Expected annual precipitation is approximately 27.1 inches.

Current Conditions

Temperature
61°F
Feels like 61°F
Humidity
91%
Wind
5 mph
NW • Gusts 5 mph
Cloud Cover
100%
Precip Chance
0%

Comfort Breakdown

Less comfortableMore comfortable
Temperature68
Wind100
Night Sky5
Humidity39
Precipitation100

Hourly Forecast

Today

TimeTempComfortAQIWindPrecipConditions
Now61°73 (B-)5 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
10pm60°72 (B-)4 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
11pm60°71 (B-)3 mph0%☁️ Cloudy

Tomorrow

TimeTempComfortAQIWindPrecipConditions
12am59°68 (C)5 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
1am59°70 (B-)3 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
2am58°68 (C)1 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
3am58°68 (C)5 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
4am58°67 (C)5 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
5am58°67 (C)5 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
6am58°69 (C)4 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
7am58°67 (C)5 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
8am58°69 (C)3 mph0%☁️ Cloudy
How to read the Santa Cruz Main Beach hourly chart

The hourly chart follows the next 48 forecast hours at Santa Cruz Main Beach. Use the temperature view to see warming and cooling through the day, and the comfort view to see when the combined temperature, wind, clouds, precipitation, and air quality should feel most favorable.

The wind view compares sustained wind with stronger gusts at Santa Cruz Main Beach. The AQI view uses the current observation for “Now” and modeled AQI-equivalent guidance for later hours when forecast smoke data is available.

Weather Maps

About the weather maps for Santa Cruz Main Beach

Each preview is centered on Santa Cruz Main Beach, with the red pin marking its approximate location. Satellite imagery provides cloud context, radar shows nearby precipitation, and the fog view shows the marine-layer or low-cloud field when that regional layer is available.

These images cover a wider area than the point forecast, so a nearby cloud or rain band may not be directly over Santa Cruz Main Beach. Open a preview for the interactive map and its latest timestamp before making a weather-sensitive decision.

7-Day Forecast

DayHigh/LowComfortPrecipConditions
Today70° / 58°91 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny
Mon69° / 58°91 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny
Tue74° / 56°90 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny
Wed🏆 Best73° / 60°94 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny
Thu77° / 60°92 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny
Fri77° / 62°93 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny
Sat79° / 62°92 (A-)0%☀️ Sunny

Best day this week: Wed (Comfort score: 94)

Nearby Temperature Comparison

Conditions at nearby San Francisco Bay Area destinations

Tip: Bay Area temps can vary 20-30°F within a short distance due to microclimates.

Climate Dashboard

Current conditions vs. NOAA normals and recent destination baseline

Today's High vs Normal
70°Fforecast
1° below normal
Normal: 71°F
Rainfall Year-to-Date
24.0"
31% above average
30-yr avg: 18.2"
Sunny Days
24last 28 days
4 fewer than baseline
Typical: 28
Foggy Days
10last 28 days
vs 5 typical
Foggier than usual
Avg Wind Speed
7.7 mphlast 28 days
1.9 mph calmer than baseline
Typical: 9.6 mph
Comfort Score
8328-day avg
On par with typical
Recent baseline: 83
What the Santa Cruz Main Beach climate comparisons mean

These cards compare recent conditions at Santa Cruz Main Beach with the available local baseline. Temperature and year-to-date rainfall use long-term normals when available; fog, sunshine, wind, and comfort use the matching recent or modeled baseline identified on each card.

Positive and negative differences describe how Santa Cruz Main Beach departs from its own usual pattern. They should not be read as a direct comparison with another city or as a forecast beyond the period shown.

Historical Climate Data

Long-term weather patterns and climate data

Data sources: NOAA URMA for recent temperature history, NOAA Stage IV for recent precipitation, NOAA HRRR for fog, cloud, wind, humidity, and sunshine signals, and NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals for long-term baselines.

Climate Overview

Based on NOAA 30-year temperature/rain normals (1991-2020) with recent fog/sun baseline

85
Avg Comfort
66.2°
Avg High
48.2°
Avg Low
80%
Perfect Days
☀️ Avg Sunshine10.6h/day
🌫️ Avg Fog1.2h/day
💧 Avg Annual Rain27.1"
🌧️ Rainy Days/yr70 (19%)
🌫️ Foggy Days/yr66
✨ Perfect Days (80+)515

🌟 Best Months to Visit

1. June84
69.7° / 51.7° · ☀️ 13.1h
6 foggy days · 1 rainy days
2. July84
70.3° / 54.2° · ☀️ 13.1h
7 foggy days · 0 rainy days
3. August83
71.4° / 54.7° · ☀️ 12.4h
6 foggy days · 1 rainy days

⚠️ Challenging Months

1. December46
59.6° / 42.1° · ☀️ 7.4h
💧 6.2" · 11 rainy days · 6 foggy days
2. January48
60.5° / 42.5° · ☀️ 7.7h
💧 6.2" · 10 rainy days · 6 foggy days
3. February53
61.1° / 43.7° · ☀️ 8.7h
💧 5.6" · 10 rainy days · 5 foggy days

Monthly Breakdown

MonthComfortHigh/Low☀️ Sun🌫️ Fog💧 RainPerfect
August 20249180° / 57.2°12.1h6d0.02"29
September 20248976.9° / 56.4°10.7h8d0.08"27
October 20249178.7° / 57°9.9h5d0.09"31
November 20248263.2° / 46.6°7.2h6d3.54"22
December 20247762.9° / 47.6°6.7h6d6.55"17
January 20258760.9° / 42.1°8.2h4d0.88"27
February 20257661.2° / 45.1°7.2h6d8.01"18
March 20257760.5° / 45.5°9.1h5d4.62"17
April 20258563.7° / 47.1°10.8h8d0.51"21
May 20258971.1° / 50.3°12.3h7d0.24"28
June 20259272.7° / 52.6°12.8h4d0.01"30
July 20258971.1° / 54.5°12.1h12d0"29
August 20259079.5° / 57.5°11.8h7d0"30
September 20258876.6° / 60°9.8h7d0.62"23
October 20258870° / 53.4°9.1h10d2.2"24
November 20258065.7° / 50.7°7.6h8d6.33"20
December 20257963.2° / 48.2°6.9h5d6.8"21
January 20268364.4° / 47.4°7.5h5d7.7"25
February 20268064° / 48.9°7.8h2d8.37"19
March 20269375.2° / 52.6°10.7h3d0.36"29
April 20268265.8° / 49.2°10.9h8d7.36"21
May 20268467.5° / 51.7°11.3h5d0.16"7
Last updated: 5/10/2026

Climate Trends

Average Temperature by Month

79°F68°F58°F47°F36°FOct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26
Average High
Average Low
About the Santa Cruz Main Beach climate charts

The temperature chart compares average monthly highs and lows at Santa Cruz Main Beach, showing both the seasonal cycle and the typical day-to-night range. The comfort chart summarizes how often the combined weather pattern is favorable rather than judging temperature alone.

Precipitation shows the total recorded or modeled rainfall for each month at Santa Cruz Main Beach. Sunshine compares average bright-sky hours with the daylight available, while fog shows the average number of morning fog or low-cloud hours per day. Switch between the chart tabs to compare the same months across each measure.

Hourly Temperature, Fog, Wind, Cloud Cover, and Solar Radiation Patterns

Average local hour by month from 2014-09-30 to 2026-04-30

How to read the temperature heatmap for Santa Cruz Main Beach

This heatmap shows how average temperature at Santa Cruz Main Beach changes by hour and month. Read left to right for the seasons and top to bottom for the time of day; warmer colors identify the usual afternoon peaks and cooler colors show overnight and winter lows.

Each cell combines one month with one local hour. Hover over or focus on a cell for its value and sample coverage; the red marker shows the current month and hour.

How to read the fog heatmap for Santa Cruz Main Beach

This heatmap shows when fog or low cloud is most likely at Santa Cruz Main Beach. Darker cells mark month-and-hour combinations with a stronger historical fog signal, which helps separate overnight or morning fog from cloud that tends to linger into the afternoon.

Each cell combines one month with one local hour. Hover over or focus on a cell for its value and sample coverage; the red marker shows the current month and hour.

How to read the wind heatmap for Santa Cruz Main Beach

This heatmap shows the typical hourly wind pattern at Santa Cruz Main Beach through the year. It makes recurring afternoon wind, calmer overnight periods, and seasonal changes easier to compare than a single daily wind value.

Each cell combines one month with one local hour. Hover over or focus on a cell for its value and sample coverage; the red marker shows the current month and hour.

How to read the cloud cover heatmap for Santa Cruz Main Beach

This heatmap shows average cloud cover at Santa Cruz Main Beach for every month and hour. Use it to see whether cloudiness is mainly an overnight and morning pattern or commonly persists during the part of the day you plan to visit.

Each cell combines one month with one local hour. Hover over or focus on a cell for its value and sample coverage; the red marker shows the current month and hour.

How to read the solar radiation heatmap for Santa Cruz Main Beach

This heatmap shows the average solar radiation reaching Santa Cruz Main Beach by month and hour. Brighter cells indicate the strongest typical sun, while muted cells can reflect nighttime, shorter winter days, cloud cover, smoke, or terrain shading.

Each cell combines one month with one local hour. Hover over or focus on a cell for its value and sample coverage; the red marker shows the current month and hour.

Loading interactive climate heatmaps…

Location Details

📍
Coordinates
36.9633, -122.0186
⛰️
Elevation
10 ft
🏷️
Type
Beach
Amenities
🅿️ parking🚻 restrooms🍽️ food
🏷️
Tags
#family-friendly#boardwalk#swimming
Map
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Get Directions →

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about weather and visiting Santa Cruz Main Beach

What is the weather at Santa Cruz Main Beach right now?

Current conditions at Santa Cruz Main Beach are 61°F, feeling like 61°F, with 91% humidity, winds near 5 mph, 100% cloud cover, and a 0% chance of precipitation. Mild and humid and overcast

What temperatures are typical at Santa Cruz Main Beach?

The location-specific record for 1991-01-01 through 2020-12-31 shows an average daily high of 66°F and an average low of 48°F at Santa Cruz Main Beach. These are averages across the year; the monthly climate table on this page shows the warmer and cooler seasons separately.

How much rain does Santa Cruz Main Beach get?

The location-specific climate baseline estimates about 27.1 inches of precipitation and 70 days with measurable rain in a typical year at Santa Cruz Main Beach. The monthly breakdown shows when that rain is most likely.

How often is Santa Cruz Main Beach foggy?

Santa Cruz Main Beach averages about 1.2 hours of morning fog per day across the location-specific climate baseline, with approximately 66 foggy days in a typical year. Fog varies considerably by season, so check the monthly breakdown and current forecast for visit planning.

What are the best months to visit Santa Cruz Main Beach for comfortable weather?

Based on the destination's recorded comfort, temperature, sunshine, rain, and fog data, the strongest months are March 2026 (75°F/53°F average high/low and a 93 comfort score), June 2025 (73°F/53°F average high/low and a 92 comfort score), and August 2024 (80°F/57°F average high/low and a 91 comfort score). “Best” depends on the activity, so use the monthly table for the exact tradeoffs.

What kind of destination is Santa Cruz Main Beach?

Santa Cruz Main Beach is a beach at 10 feet. Classic boardwalk beach. Notable features include family-friendly, boardwalk, and swimming.

💡 Local Tip: San Francisco Bay Area weather can change dramatically within short distances and throughout the day. Always check current conditions before visiting Santa Cruz Main Beach.
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