Honestly, most people think a January trip to the California coast means dodging raindrops and shivering in a thick parka. If you've been watching the 10 day forecast for Santa Cruz CA, you know that "Winter in Santa Cruz" is more of a suggestion than a reality. Right now, as of Sunday, January 18, 2026, the town is basically showing off.
While the rest of the country is dealing with actual winter, we're sitting here at 4:41 AM with a current temperature of 50°F. It’s clear with some periodic clouds, and the wind is barely a whisper—just 2 mph coming out of the northeast. If you’re planning to be here over the next week or so, you've actually picked a pretty incredible window.
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The Immediate Breakdown: Sun and Low 70s?
Today, Sunday, is looking like a standout. We’re hitting a high of 70°F. Yeah, you read 그게 right—seventy. It’ll be partly sunny, which is basically the Santa Cruz version of a perfect day. Humidity is hovering around 60%, and the wind is staying low at 4 mph from the west.
Tomorrow, Monday the 19th, it gets even clearer. Expect full sun and a high of 68°F.
People often get caught off guard by the temperature swings here. While the days are gorgeous, the nights still remind you it's January. The low for tonight and tomorrow is sticking right at 46°F. Basically, if you aren't carrying a hoodie for when the sun dips behind the Santa Cruz Mountains, you're gonna have a bad time.
The Mid-Week Shift
By Tuesday and Wednesday (January 20-21), things start to get a bit "moody," as locals like to say. We’re looking at more cloud cover. Tuesday will be mostly cloudy with a high of 66°F, and Wednesday drops a bit further to 64°F under full cloudy skies.
There's a tiny 10% chance of rain throughout the middle of the week. Honestly, in Santa Cruz terms, a 10% chance usually means you might see a couple of mist particles on your windshield, but you probably won't even need to open an umbrella.
What’s interesting is the humidity creep. It starts at 64% on Tuesday and climbs toward 71% by Thursday. It makes the air feel a bit heavier, a bit more "oceanic."
Weekend Outlook: January 23 - January 25
If you’re heading down for the weekend, Friday is looking like the transition day. The high will be 62°F with a slightly higher 15% chance of rain during the day. This is the windiest part of the forecast too, with gusts reaching 10 mph from the northwest.
Saturday and Sunday (Jan 24-25) settle back into that "partly sunny" rhythm.
- Saturday: High of 62°F, Low of 45°F.
- Sunday: High of 63°F, Low of 45°F.
It's stable. It's predictable. It's exactly why people pay way too much to live here.
What About the Ocean?
You can't talk about the 10 day forecast for Santa Cruz CA without looking at the water. For the surfers out there, Sunday morning is seeing some clean 3-4 ft waves with a long 15s period. The sea temperature is currently around 57°F. That’s actually a few degrees warmer than the historical average for mid-January, but don't let that fool you—you still need a 4/3mm wetsuit if you want to stay in the water for more than twenty minutes.
Why the Forecast Matters for Your Plans
If you’re planning to hike the Redwoods at Henry Cowell or Nisene Marks, the early part of this 10-day window is your best bet. The trails will be dry and the light filtering through the trees at 68 degrees is something else. Once we hit that cloudy stretch on Wednesday and Thursday, the forest gets a lot darker and damper, even without heavy rain.
A quick tip on the UV Index: It’s staying low, around a 2. You might feel the heat of the sun on Sunday or Monday, but the burn risk is minimal. Still, the reflection off the water at Steamer Lane or Pleasure Point can be sneaky.
Misconceptions About Santa Cruz Weather
One thing people get wrong is assuming that "Cloudy" means "Gloomy." In Santa Cruz, a cloudy day often means high-altitude marine layer stuff that burns off by 1 PM. However, the forecast for Wednesday the 21st looks like it might actually stick around all day.
Another myth? That the wind is always a factor. With most of these days seeing winds under 6 mph, the Monterey Bay is going to look like a lake. It's prime time for whale watching or kayaking because you won't be fighting whitecaps.
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Actionable Next Steps for Your Trip:
- Pack the layers: You need a t-shirt for 2 PM and a down jacket for 8 PM. The 24-degree temperature swing on Sunday is no joke.
- Plan outdoor activities early: Monday the 19th is the "gold medal" day of this forecast. If you have one big outdoor thing planned, do it then.
- Check the tides: With the swell picking up mid-week, the tide pools at Natural Bridges will be better to visit during the lower tide shifts in the afternoon.
- Monitor the Friday wind: If you’re sensitive to the chill, Friday's 10 mph northwest wind will make that 62°F feel more like 55°F.
The 10-day outlook is remarkably dry for this time of year, so take advantage of it before the February systems start rolling in.