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Rancho Santa Margarita, California Weather

Summer heat deepens across the valleys. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Rancho Santa Margarita weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Sunday, July 5 at 10:03 AM
73
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
76°
Humidity
71%
Wind
3 mph
Sunrise
10:45 PM
Sunset
1:04 PM
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastRancho Santa Margarita, CA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 60 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 60°H 84°
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Foggy
    —
    —
    84°61°—
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Foggy
    —
    —
    87°60°+3°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Clear
    —
    —
    88°60°+1°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Clear
    —
    —
    92°69°+4°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Clear
    —
    —
    91°72°-1°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    88°68°-3°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Overcast
    —
    —
    87°68°-1°
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°55°73°90°6a12p6p12anow 73°high 84°low 60°
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
WSW
247° · backing 113°
Direction
WSW
247°
Sustained
3
mph
Gust
3
mph
Peak 24h
11
avg 4
Beaufort · 1 · LIGHT AIR
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 11 @ 4:00p
010MPHB1B2B3B4-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 103SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
981.0
0.0 mb in 3h · steady · 28.97 inHg
Now
981.0
mb
3h
0.0
mb
12h
-0.6
mb
24h
-2.7
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 980–984
975980985990-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW983.7980.4981.0
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Air quality
34
AQI
Good
→0 in 6h

AQI 34 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 9.4 µg/m³ (AQI 52) with a 0.70 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
9.4μg/m³
PM 10Good
13μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneGood
60μg/m³
UV IndexVery high
7.2

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.4 µg/m³ (AQI 52) with a 0.70 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.70
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
44%
MOSTLY CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
40.8mi
UNLIMITED
118 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
17:03 UTC · Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
17:03 UTC · Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:17 AM
Sunrise
10:45 PM
Daylight
14h 19m
Sunset
1:04 PM
Civil dusk
8:34 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
71% illuminated
Moonrise
11:06 PM
Moonset
11:09 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Summer heat deepens across the valleys

weather
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Rancho Santa Margarita at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 5°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 9 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 92688

16-Day Forecast — Rancho Santa Margarita

  1. Sun84°61°1%
  2. Mon87°60°1%
  3. Tue88°60°0%
  4. Wed92°69°0%
  5. Thu91°72°0%
  6. Fri88°68°0%
  7. Sat87°68°1%
  8. Sun89°69°2%
  9. Mon89°71°6%
  10. Tue88°68°10%
  11. Wed96°74°7%
  12. Thu96°76°13%
  13. Fri105°82°13%
  14. Sat108°82°10%
  15. Sun93°78°19%
  16. Mon94°75°12%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

January 1–5: New year in coastal mist.January 6–10: Hills hold the winter cold.January 11–15: Light lengthens over wet earth.January 16–20: The green pulse quickens.January 21–25: Spring green spreads inland.January 26–31: Winter's grip releases.February 1–5: Fog lifts, flowers open.February 6–10: Blooms erupt across chaparral.February 11–15: Winter blooms at their peak.February 16–20: Rivers recede, flowers spread.February 21–25: Earth warms, flowers rush upslope.February 26–28: Spring advances on cool winds.March 1–5: Grass and trees bud and break.March 6–10: Insects wake and feed.March 11–15: Blossoms crown the hillsides.March 16–20: Monarch chrysalis emergence.March 21–25: Light overtakes dark at equinox.March 26–31: California poppy ablaze.April 1–5: Spring rain feeds the seedlings.April 6–10: Warblers flood the understory.April 11–15: Allen's hummingbirds in courtship dives.April 16–20: Coastal fog settles; sun breaks midday.April 21–25: Oak canopies full and green.April 26–30: Chaparral awakens after spring rains.May 1–5: Coastal wildflowers at their peak.May 6–10: Gray whales complete their migration north.May 11–15: Redwood coast in cool shade.May 16–20: Fog and sun in daily rhythm.May 21–25: Summer approaches; hills turn gold.May 26–31: Dry season begins; tule fog in valleys.June 1–5: Coastal fog thickens at dawn.June 6–10: California poppies fade as heat rises.June 11–15: Summer solstice light stretched thin.June 16–20: Bay laurel fragrance sweetens shade.June 21–25: Longest daylight, driest air.June 26–30: Fog banks mask the turning tide.July 1–5: Summer heat deepens across the valleys.July 6–10: Warm winds drive dryness inland.July 11–15: Pacific high settles in firmly.July 16–20: Young hawks take to the thermals.July 21–25: Peak fire season, peak heat.July 26–31: Chaparral poised for ignition.August 1–5: August begins in scorching stillness.August 6–10: Autumn's first cool breath arrives.August 11–15: Cool winds signal the turning year.August 16–20: Evening cicada chorus.August 21–25: Marine layer descent.August 26–31: Monarch staging begins.September 1–5: Fire season intensity.September 6–10: Dew on drying grasses.September 11–15: Raptor passage begins.September 16–20: Equinox descent.September 21–25: Ceanothus blooms again.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Creeks begin to whisper.October 6–10: Santa Ana wind season.October 11–15: Wildflower anticipation.October 16–20: Chaparral embers glow.October 21–25: First atmospheric river looms.October 26–31: Rains return at last.November 1–5: Coast live oak leaves turn amber.November 6–10: California lilac blooms in winter light.November 11–15: First rain greens the chaparral.November 16–20: Coastal fog thickens as storms approach.November 21–25: Thanksgiving rains swell the valleys.November 26–30: Autumn's last breath yields to winter.December 1–5: December arrives, storms accelerate.December 6–10: Winter solstice season intensifies.December 11–15: Deep winter: rivers at flood stage.December 16–20: Winter salmon runs peak in northern rivers.December 21–25: Winter solstice: the sun turns.December 26–31: Year's end in wind and rain.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Summer heat deepens across the valleys

Inland temperatures exceed 95°F regularly; fire danger reaches moderate to high across most of the region.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

Rancho Santa Margarita peaks at about 78°F in August and bottoms near 51°F in January; February brings the heaviest rain (3.3 inches) and August the least (0.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January51°3.2″11
February52°3.3″10
March55°2.9″13
April60°1.4″10
May65°0.5″7
June71°0.1″3
July77°0.1″1
August78°0.0″1
September75°0.1″2
October67°0.5″5
November57°1.5″8
December51°2.5″10

Regional context

Rancho Santa Margarita swings from 51°F in January to 77°F in July (27°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Rancho Santa Margarita runs about 16.3 inches on roughly 82 measurable days.

Precipitation in Rancho Santa Margarita peaks in the cool season: February averages 3.3 inches across 9.9 storm-fed days, while August bottoms out at 0.0 inches over just 0.9 rainy days. That groups Rancho Santa Margarita with places like Coto de Caza, CA, Trabuco Canyon, CA and Mission Viejo, CA on the same cool-season storm track.

With a coldest-month mean of 51°F, Rancho Santa Margarita stays mostly frost-free and grows year-round. The August peak near 78°F is Rancho Santa Margarita's real limit, pushing cool-season vegetables to spring and fall. Rancho Santa Margarita's coastal lots stay 4-7°F milder overnight than Rancho Santa Margarita's inland parcels.

Similar climates: Coto de Caza, CA, Trabuco Canyon, CA, Mission Viejo, CA, Las Flores, CA, Lake Forest, CA.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Frost typically leaves Rancho Santa Margarita by mid-March and returns to Rancho Santa Margarita near mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Rancho Santa Margarita?
February is the wettest month in Rancho Santa Margarita, about 3.3 inches on average; the year totals roughly 16 inches.
What is the warmest month in Rancho Santa Margarita?
August is Rancho Santa Margarita's warmest month, averaging about 78°F.
What is the coldest month in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Rancho Santa Margarita bottoms out in January, with a mean near 51°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Rancho Santa Margarita's last frost (mid-March) cues hardy greens; in Rancho Santa Margarita, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Rancho Santa Margarita get?
Rancho Santa Margarita averages about 82 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Rancho Santa Margarita?
Rancho Santa Margarita's USDA zone comes from its January mean (51°F); enter the ZIP on the USDA lookup for the number.
What is the 10-day forecast for Rancho Santa Margarita?
Rancho Santa Margarita's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Rancho Santa Margarita?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Rancho Santa Margarita in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Current conditions for Rancho Santa Margarita and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Rancho Santa Margarita forecast updated?
The Rancho Santa Margarita forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Rancho Santa Margarita are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Rancho Santa Margarita?
The next few days in Rancho Santa Margarita's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Rancho Santa Margarita, California occupies a hot-summer Mediterranean zone, with January means near 51°F and July around 77°F — a 26°F swing.

Yearly precipitation in Rancho Santa Margarita totals around 16 inches, spread over about 82 days of rain or snow.

The 26°F gap between Rancho Santa Margarita's summer and winter, at 33.6°N, shapes Rancho Santa Margarita's frost calendar.

All cities in California →

Mission Viejo, CA weather →

ZIP codes in Rancho Santa Margarita

  • 92679
  • 92688

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.