Monterey, CA weather in January
January in Monterey: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 60°F, lows 45°F, about 11 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in Monterey.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:19 am / 5:02 pm | 7:10 am / 5:31 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 10.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F7 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 4.3 in; a dry January brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 6.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202014: average high 67°F
- Coolest January2008: average high 56°F
- Wettest January1995: 10.6 in
- Driest January2015: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading84°F (January 25, 2015)
- Lowest reading27°F (January 13, 2007)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
January compared with December and February
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 60°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 45°F | 45°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 10.0 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by +1°F from December and +1°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Solvang, CA170 mi · high 67°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Visalia, CA146 mi · high 55°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Yosemite Valley, CA150 mi · high 48°F · 9 wet days
How Monterey ranks in January
- Normal high98th warmest of 378 cities; 31st of 60 in California
- Wet days253rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days111th most of 339
What to pack for Monterey in January
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
January has 390 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Monterey in January?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 27°F (January 13, 2007).
Does it rain a lot in Monterey in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (10.6 in); the driest was in 2015, with no measurable precipitation.
Is January a good time to visit Monterey?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Monterey (51 out of 100). It has about 7 comfortable days. The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Monterey (USC00045795), 0.9 mi SW of the city center, 260 ft (241 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 53 mi N of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).