Best time to visit Monterey
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart recolours live for your heat & sea limits 27°C · sea 29°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Default 29 °C is the Beach Climate Index "bathtub" line (Morgan et al.) — where the sea stops being refreshing and starts feeling like a warm bath.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Monterey
13 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Monterey).
- 1
Monterey's 17 Mile Drive Guided Electric Bike Tour, 3 hr - 2
Elkhorn Slough Wildlife Tour - 3
Carmel-by-the-Sea 2.5-3 Hour Electric Bike Tour - 4
Guided 2-Hour Point Lobos Nature Walk - 5
Guided 2-Hour Walking Tour in Carmel by the Sea - 6
Carmel-By-The-Sea Electric Bike Guided Tour - 7
Macaron making with a Master Chef - Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA - 8
Whale Watching Tour From Monterey - 9
Tastes & Tales from Cannery Row (Food Tour) - 10
Old Monterey Walking Food Tour - 11
Half Day Monterey Peninsula Sightseeing Tour - 12
Afternoon Half-day Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Tour - 13
Morning Half Day Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Tour
Last refreshed 2026-06-30.
Similar climatesSan Diego87% · Patmos85% · Cascais85%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Monterey (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Monterey's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8–14 | 12 | 9 | 109 | 12.1 | 71% | 21 | 173 | 2 | Quiet | 7 |
| Feb | 8–14 | 12 | 7 | 91 | 13.0 | 66% | 20 | 196 | 3 | Quiet | 8 |
| Mar | 8–14 | 11 | 13 | 164 | 12.6 | 70% | 22 | 218 | 5 | Quiet | 6 |
| Apr | 9–14 | 12 | 4 | 60 | 15.0 | 74% | 21 | 247 | 6 | Quiet | 9 |
| May | 10–15 | 13 | 4 | 58 | 14.5 | 74% | 19 | 276 | 8 | Quiet | 9 |
| Jun | 11–17 | 15 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 74% | 19 | 273 | 9 | Quiet | 9 |
| Jul | 12–17 | 16 | 0 | 10 | — | 77% | 16 | 267 | 9 | Quiet | 9 |
| Aug | 13–19 | 18 | 0 | 9 | — | 76% | 16 | 256 | 8 | Peak | 9 |
| Sep | 13–19 | 19 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 74% | 16 | 242 | 7 | Busy | 9 |
| Oct | 12–19 | 18 | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 66% | 16 | 223 | 5 | Moderate | 9 |
| Nov | 9–17 | 14 | 6 | 62 | 10.3 | 64% | 18 | 200 | 3 | Moderate | 9 |
| Dec | 9–15 | 12 | 11 | 142 | 12.9 | 72% | 19 | 168 | 2 | Moderate | 7 |
UV Index in Monterey by Month
UV index in Monterey peaks at 9 (very high) in July, dropping to 2 (low) in December. June, July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
October
9/1012–19°C (feels 18°C) · 3 rain days (29h) · 223 sun hours · 66% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 5 (moderate)
September
9/1013–19°C · 1 rain days (23h) · 242 sun hours · 74% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 7 (high)
August
9/1013–19°C · 0 rain days (9h) · 256 sun hours · 76% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 8 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
7/108–14°C (feels 12°C) · 9 rain days (109h) · 173 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
February
8/108–14°C (feels 12°C) · 7 rain days (91h) · 196 sun hours · 66% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
March
6/108–14°C (feels 11°C) · 13 rain days (164h) · 218 sun hours · 70% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
April
9/109–14°C (feels 12°C) · 4 rain days (60h) · 247 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
May
9/1010–15°C (feels 13°C) · 4 rain days (58h) · 276 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
June
9/1011–17°C (feels 15°C) · 1 rain days (23h) · 273 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 10 (very high)
July
9/1012–17°C (feels 16°C) · 0 rain days (10h) · 267 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high)
November
9/109–17°C (feels 14°C) · 6 rain days (62h) · 200 sun hours · 64% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
December
7/109–15°C (feels 12°C) · 11 rain days (142h) · 168 sun hours · 72% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 2 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Monterey
When is the best time to visit Monterey?
October is the highest-scoring month (9/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 12–19°C (3 rainy days). The top three months by score are October, September, August.
What is the worst time to visit Monterey?
March is the lowest-scoring month (6/10). Typical conditions: 8–14°C (13 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Monterey?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in April and peaks in August. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Monterey have good weather but fewer tourists?
April (climate 9/10, crowd index 0) and May (climate 9/10, crowd index 8) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Monterey by month?
UV peaks at 9 (very high) in July and is lowest in December at 2 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 2, Feb 3, Mar 5, Apr 6, May 8, Jun 9, Jul 9, Aug 8, Sep 7, Oct 5, Nov 3, Dec 2. June, July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Monterey in July?
July is the peak UV month in Monterey, with a daily-peak UV index of 9 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Monterey on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 9 (very high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 10 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: February, March, April, May, June, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Monterey bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 2 months: November, December. The worst month is October with a typical-day mean of 10 µg/m³ (fair); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 15 µg/m³ (moderate) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.