Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Santa Monica, California Weather

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

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

Santa Monica, CA
Sunday, July 5 at 10:03 AM
70
°
Clear
Feels like
72°
Humidity
72%
Wind
7 mph
Sunrise
10:48 PM
Sunset
1:08 PM
Santa Monica, CA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastSanta Monica, CA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 60 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 60°H 71°
Santa Monica, CA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    —
    —
    71°62°—
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Overcast
    —
    —
    69°60°-2°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Foggy
    —
    —
    80°61°+11°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Foggy
    —
    —
    81°69°+1°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Foggy
    —
    —
    83°71°+2°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Foggy
    —
    —
    82°69°-1°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Partly Cloudy
    —
    —
    80°69°-2°
Santa Monica, CA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
58°66°74°6a12p6p12anow 70°high 71°low 60°
Santa Monica, CA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
WSW
243° · backing 15°
Direction
WSW
243°
Sustained
7
mph
Gust
8
mph
Peak 24h
16
avg 7
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
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 7 · pk 16 @ 8:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 175SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Santa Monica, CA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1009.3
-0.5 mb in 3h · steady · 29.80 inHg
Now
1009.3
mb
3h
-0.5
mb
12h
-0.6
mb
24h
-2.1
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1009–1012
1000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1011.51008.81009.3
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
Santa Monica, CA
Air quality
51
AQI
Moderate
→-4 in 6h

AQI 51 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±4 points). PM2.5 at 13.4 µg/m³, PM10 at 17.1 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

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

PM 2.5DRIVERModerate
13.4μg/m³
PM 10Good
17μg/m³
NO₂Good
10μg/m³
OzoneGood
57μg/m³
UV IndexHigh
6.8

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 13.4 µg/m³, PM10 at 17.1 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.78
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

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
Santa Monica, CA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
3%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
31.4mi
UNLIMITED
39 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 · Santa Monica, 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 · Santa Monica, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Santa Monica, CA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Santa Monica, CA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Santa Monica, CA
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:20 AM
Sunrise
10:48 PM
Daylight
14h 20m
Sunset
1:08 PM
Civil dusk
8:39 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Santa Monica, CA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
71% illuminated
Moonrise
11:10 PM
Moonset
11:13 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Santa Monica, 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 →

Santa Monica at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 8°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 11 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 90401, 90402, 90403, 90404, 90405

16-Day Forecast — Santa Monica

  1. Sun72°62°0%
  2. Mon69°60°0%
  3. Tue80°61°0%
  4. Wed81°69°0%
  5. Thu83°71°0%
  6. Fri82°69°0%
  7. Sat80°69°0%
  8. Sun80°69°3%
  9. Mon79°69°6%
  10. Tue81°72°6%
  11. Wed91°74°1%
  12. Thu89°75°10%
  13. Fri100°80°10%
  14. Sat100°80°7%
  15. Sun87°76°13%
  16. Mon84°73°13%

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

Live wind & temperature near Santa Monica

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

The year in Santa Monica tops out in August (~71°F) and dips lowest in February (~59°F), with February wettest at 4.7 inches and August driest at 0.0 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January60°4.1″5
February59°4.7″5
March60°2.7″4
April62°0.8″2
May63°0.4″1
June66°0.1″0
July70°0.0″0
August71°0.0″0
September71°0.1″0
October68°0.7″1
November64°1.0″2
December59°2.9″3

Regional context

Per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Santa Monica runs from a 60°F January mean to 70°F in July, a 10°F seasonal spread, with near 17.7 inches of precipitation across about 22 wet days.

Santa Monica's moisture rides winter storm tracks: February brings 4.7 inches over 5.0 wet days, while August sees only 0.0 inches across 0.0 days in the dry warm season. That cool-season-wet pattern aligns Santa Monica with places like Marina del Rey, CA, Culver City, CA and Beverly Hills, CA.

With a coldest-month mean of 59°F, Santa Monica stays mostly frost-free and grows year-round. The August peak near 71°F is Santa Monica's real limit, pushing cool-season vegetables to spring and fall. Across Santa Monica, elevation and tree cover drive a 4-7°F spread in Santa Monica's overnight lows.

Similar climates: Marina del Rey, CA, Culver City, CA, Beverly Hills, CA, Ladera Heights, CA, Los Angeles, CA.

Naturalist notes

By late May, cliff swallows are busy constructing mud nests under the eaves of coastal-facing structures, fresh Pacific air carrying the sound of chicks demanding food.

The evening sky in June shows Scorpius rising low along the southern horizon, its brightest star Antares blinking a distinct reddish-orange through the marine layer.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Santa Monica?
In Santa Monica, expect the last spring frost near mid-March; Santa Monica's first autumn frost comes around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Santa Monica?
Santa Monica sees its heaviest rain in February (around 4.7 inches), part of roughly 18 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Santa Monica?
The warmest stretch in Santa Monica comes in August, around 71°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Santa Monica?
On average February is the chilliest month in Santa Monica, about 59°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Santa Monica?
Santa Monica's last frost (mid-March) cues hardy greens; in Santa Monica, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Santa Monica get?
Santa Monica averages about 22 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Santa Monica?
Santa Monica sits in the USDA zone set by February lows near 59°F; the USDA ZIP tool gives the band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Santa Monica?
Santa Monica'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 Santa Monica?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Santa Monica in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Santa Monica?
Current conditions for Santa Monica and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Santa Monica forecast updated?
The Santa Monica forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Santa Monica?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?
The next few days in Santa Monica's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Santa Monica, California has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate: January averages roughly 60°F, July about 70°F, 10°F between them.

Rain and snow bring Santa Monica roughly 18 inches a year across approximately 22 measurable-precipitation days.

At 34.0°N, Santa Monica's 10°F summer-to-winter swing sets when Santa Monica's gardens wake and when frost returns.

All cities in California →

Los Angeles, CA weather →

ZIP codes in Santa Monica

  • 90401
  • 90402
  • 90403
  • 90404
  • 90405
  • 90406
  • 90407
  • 90408
  • 90409
  • 90410
  • 90411

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.