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Best time to visit · California, United States
On the climate data, the best time to visit Big Sur is May – October, scoring up to 100/100 with highs around 65°F (18°C) and 0.2 in (4 mm) of rain in June. March & April and November are good shoulder-season months. The toughest months are December – February, mainly because of cloud cover.
Highs run from 58°F to 69°F across the year, and the yearly total is about 18.9 in (480 mm) of rain.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high | 58°F14°C | 58°F14°C | 59°F15°C | 60°F16°C | 62°F17°C | 65°F18°C | 67°F19°C | 68°F20°C | 69°F21°C | 67°F20°C | 63°F17°C | 58°F15°C |
| Avg low | 48°F9°C | 48°F9°C | 49°F9°C | 49°F10°C | 51°F10°C | 53°F12°C | 55°F13°C | 56°F13°C | 56°F13°C | 54°F12°C | 51°F11°C | 49°F9°C |
| Rain | 3.4 in86 mm | 3.4 in86 mm | 2.8 in70 mm | 1.4 in36 mm | 0.6 in14 mm | 0.2 in4 mm | 0.0 in1 mm | 0.0 in1 mm | 0.2 in5 mm | 0.9 in23 mm | 1.9 in48 mm | 4.2 in106 mm |
| Humidity | 80% | 82% | 83% | 83% | 83% | 82% | 83% | 83% | 80% | 77% | 78% | 79% |
| Cloud | 48% | 48% | 46% | 41% | 35% | 26% | 31% | 30% | 26% | 31% | 38% | 49% |
| Comfort | 78 | 78 | 83 | 89 | 94 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 93 | 75 |
Source: NASA POWER (public domain), 2001–2025 monthly averages on a ~50 km satellite and reanalysis grid, so coasts and valleys can differ from what's shown. The grid cell sits at about 119 m (390 ft), close to Big Sur's own ~40 m. Precipitation includes snow as melted water; daylight is calculated from latitude. Check a forecast before you go.
The coldest season, with highs near 58°F (15°C) and lows down to 48°F (9°C). It's the wettest season, with about 10.9 in (278 mm) of rain, 58% of the year's total. Comfort scores bottom out in December – February; the season averages 77/100.
Temperatures hold fairly even, with highs of 59–62°F (15–17°C). About 4.7 in (120 mm) of rain falls across these months, 25% of the year's total. Lows bottom out around 49°F (9°C). May is among the best-scoring months (season average 89/100).
Expect steady highs of 65–68°F (18–20°C). It's the driest season, with only about 0.2 in (6 mm) of rain, 1% of the year's total. Lows bottom out around 53°F (12°C). Comfort peaks here: June – August rank with the year's best, and the season averages 100/100.
The warmest stretch of the year, with highs of 63–69°F (17–21°C). About 3.0 in (76 mm) of rain falls across these months, 16% of the year's total. Lows bottom out around 51°F (11°C). September & October are among the best-scoring months (season average 98/100).
By comfort score: 12 Great. Tap a month for its own guide.
On the climate data, the best time to visit Big Sur is May – October, scoring up to 100/100 with highs around 65°F (18°C) and 0.2 in (4 mm) of rain in June. March & April and November are good shoulder-season months. The toughest months are December – February, mainly because of cloud cover.
December is the wettest month, averaging about 4.2 in (106 mm) of rain. July is the driest, with less than 0.1 in (3 mm). The yearly total is around 18.9 in (480 mm).
January is the coldest, with average lows of 48°F (9°C) and highs of 58°F (14°C). The warmest is September, with average highs of 69°F (21°C).
Not very: summer (June – August) humidity averages 83%, and highs peak around 68°F (20°C), so it rarely feels sticky.
The wettest three-month stretch is December – February, with about 10.9 in (278 mm) of rain combined. The driest stretch is June – August, with about 0.2 in (6 mm).
Poll the group on May – October dates, then plan the days, packing and costs together.
