I'm thinking Highway 1 might be a good thing to explore this winter. We have been in SF in March and had a great time since we like cool weather. So I'm wondering what your estimate of really bad (cold, slashing wind and rain) vs ok (cloudy, cool, occasional showers) might be based on your experience. I think we would range from Sf to Oxnard. Probably go in Feb. Thanks in advance!

I'm thinking Highway 1 might be a good thing to explore this winter. We have been in SF in March and had a great time since we like cool weather. So I'm wondering what your estimate of really bad (cold, slashing wind and rain) vs ok (cloudy, cool, occasional showers) might be based on your experience. I think we would range from Sf to Oxnard. Probably go in Feb. Thanks in advance! Winter is often the best time weather wise to visit the coast. There is just about no place where the wind blows more than in Washoe Valley, Nevada. Even the great American author, Mark Twain, in his book 'Roughing It' talked about the Washoe Zephyrs, but that was in Washoe Valley Nevada not the California coast. He did add that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. Go in the winter to Bodega Bay and north and the weather is usually very mild. I have camped many times in winter and it has always been good. It can rain but that usually is for a short period. As you now live in Washoe Valley you will need to adjust when getting to the coast to the notion that a gentle afternoon breeze is not a 50 mph wind and it can be perfectly normal for the wind not to blow at all, unlike what it usually does at home.

The other thing about the Calif coast is that the weather is fairly predictable -- NOAA can look out seven days or so, with pretty good accuracy, since our weather comes from the Aleutians in the winter. So if your timing is flexible, you can duck in a trip during a week of high pressure, in between rain storms.

For much of the coast February isn't going to be much different than Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan etc... Yes it will be a little cooler than the summer months in some spots and as such the winds wind will also be a little colder but still much nicer than most places. Good thing about that time of year is that the crowds are usually much smaller!

Winter on the coast is when the California grey whales migrate. Whale watching is a lot of fun, especially when you see one up close. Point Reyes is a good spot to look for them.

We spend a week at Dillon Beach every year over New Years. The weather is beautiful, even when it is drizzly or rainy. As long as you don't mind getting wet from time to time, the temperatures are great. Summer is my wife's busy season, so we don't get much time to camp unless it's fall/winter. We love camping on the Coast in the dead of winter, and often leave the snow at home as we head to the 'warmer' coast. It's mostly light jacket or sweatshirt weather, but there have been plenty of times I'll spend the day in shorts and a T-shirt in late December on the coast.

California coast in winter? | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

wintersun
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2013
The coldest month along the California coast is February and it warms each month until September which is the warmest month, and then starts to cool again month by month. The grass on the hills will still be green in February which is a big plus.

There will be a lot less variation in coastal temperatures in February and cold is not all that cold with lows of 40-45 degrees and high's of 60-65 degrees. No need for "winter clothing" along the California coast and a good item to have is a waterproof shell or jacket with no lining.
samuraitowd
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
Wow, thanks for all the info and invites! I think that we will definitely do that this winter!
jmtandem, we have enjoyed Washoe Valley for 10 years now and love it. It is like living at a western resort so it is hard to leave sometimes. It is only windy when a front moves through but the more people that think it is 50mph all the time, the better! ;-) Since you are obviously a fan of Nevada history, check out my website at washoevalley.org.
WoodGlue
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
JohnG3 wrote:
Nice thing about that time of year for a drive between Morro Bay and Monterey on Hwy.1 is the chance of fog is nearly zero. Rain and clouds maybe.

X2

You may have some showers down the coast from Morro Bay to Oxnard/Ventura, but it's not the "slashing" kind of windy rain. Come on down and enjoy a "MidCal" winter!

WoodGlue
JohnG3
Explorer II
Sep 09, 2013
Nice thing about that time of year for a drive between Morro Bay and Monterey on Hwy.1 is the chance of fog is nearly zero. Rain and clouds maybe.
deleted-2
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
We usually head for the coast somewhere above Navarro every Jan\Feb.
Great time of year to go.
missourijan
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
Come on down (the 395). We volunteer at a state park in Ventura County. If it's a wet winter it's pretty rainy in Jan & Feb. The past few years have been pretty dry and nice all winter. We're having a heat wave right now, it's 80, average temp all year is 74. This is a great place to visit in the winter, not crazy busy like LA county. You are close enough to the LA area that you could attend tapings of shows in Burbank but camp in Ventura County.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Sep 07, 2013
We don't have winter in California. Especially not on the coast. Winter weather in SF can be warmed than summer in SF.
rbrand
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
We head down the Coast From Victoria, BC every January. Seldom there is snow or freezing weather. Some grey days and rain but a lot warmer then coming down 5.
alex1200
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
We spend a week at Dillon Beach every year over New Years. The weather is beautiful, even when it is drizzly or rainy. As long as you don't mind getting wet from time to time, the temperatures are great. Summer is my wife's busy season, so we don't get much time to camp unless it's fall/winter. We love camping on the Coast in the dead of winter, and often leave the snow at home as we head to the 'warmer' coast.

It's mostly light jacket or sweatshirt weather, but there have been plenty of times I'll spend the day in shorts and a T-shirt in late December on the coast.
fireman93514
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
Winter on the coast is when the California grey whales migrate. Whale watching is a lot of fun, especially when you see one up close. Point Reyes is a good spot to look for them.