Honestly, living on an island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay makes you a bit of a weather snob. You get used to that specific "Alameda microclimate" where it’s five degrees warmer than the City but five degrees cooler than Walnut Creek. But if you’re looking at the alameda weather 10 day forecast right now, you might be scratching your head. It looks stable, sure. Boring, maybe. But there is a lot of nuance in these numbers that usually gets lost in a generic app notification.
We are currently sitting in that mid-January stretch where the "Goldilocks" effect is in full swing.
Today, Sunday, January 18, we’re looking at a high of 64°F. That’s actually a few notches above the historical January average of 57°F or 58°F. It’s "t-shirt with a backup hoodie" weather. But don't let the 64°F fool you into thinking spring has sprung. The nighttime low is dropping to 47°F. That’s a 17-degree swing. In Alameda, that feels like a lot because the humidity—currently hovering around 68% to 71%—makes that 47°F feel like a damp chill that settles right into your bones.
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The Breakdown: What’s Actually Coming This Week
Tomorrow, Monday, January 19, things stay pretty consistent. We’re hitting 62°F for the high and 46°F for the low.
Expect "partly sunny" skies, which is basically code for "the sun will tease you for twenty minutes and then hide behind a bank of gray for an hour." There's a tiny 15% chance of rain during the day, which usually just means a windshield misting rather than a real soak.
By Tuesday and Wednesday, the sky closes up.
We’re moving into a stretch of "cloudy" to "mostly cloudy" conditions. Tuesday’s high is 61°F, and Wednesday dips to 58°F. This is actually where we revert to the historical mean. Most people think Alameda is always sunny because we aren't as foggy as the Sunset District in SF, but historically, January is the cloudiest month of the year here. We average about 54% cloud cover this time of year. If you’re planning on doing anything outdoors, Wednesday is the day you’ll want the heavy knit sweater.
The Humidity and Wind: The Silent Players
People focus on the temperature, but in Alameda, the wind is the real boss.
Right now, the winds are remarkably calm, mostly staying between 3 mph and 7 mph from the north and northeast. That’s why it feels so pleasant today. When that wind kicks up to its historical January average of nearly 11 mph, the "feels like" temperature drops significantly.
Check out the humidity levels for the next few days:
- Sunday: 71%
- Monday: 68%
- Tuesday: 70%
- Wednesday: 69%
- Thursday: 73%
That 70% range is classic island life. It keeps the air from feeling brittle, but it means when it’s 50°F outside, it’s a "wet cold." It’s the kind of weather where your laundry takes three days to line-dry and your car windows are perpetually foggy in the morning.
Why the Alameda Weather 10 Day Forecast Matters for Your Weekend
If you’re eyeing next weekend, Saturday, January 24, and Sunday, January 25, the forecast is holding steady at 59°F for the highs.
It’s remarkably flat. Usually, you’d see more volatility, but we are in a very stable pattern. Saturday looks "partly sunny," while Sunday turns "mostly cloudy." If you’re a local, this is the perfect window for a walk along Shoreline Drive. The UV index is low—staying around a 1 or 2—so you won't be baking, but that north wind at 4 mph will keep the air crisp.
Historically, January is also our rainiest month.
We typically see about 4.01 inches of rain throughout the month. So far, this 10-day window is looking surprisingly dry. The highest chance of rain we’re seeing is a measly 15% on Monday night. Compared to some of our legendary "atmospheric river" Januaries—like back in 2023—this is a cakewalk. It’s a great time to get those garden beds ready before the February rains (which average nearly 4 inches too) really hit.
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Navigating the 10-Day Outlook
Kinda weird, right? Most of the next ten days are stuck in the 59°F to 62°F range.
| Date | High Temp | Low Temp | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 18 | 64°F | 47°F | Partly Sunny |
| Jan 19 | 62°F | 46°F | Partly Sunny |
| Jan 20 | 61°F | 46°F | Cloudy |
| Jan 21 | 58°F | 48°F | Cloudy |
| Jan 22 | 59°F | 50°F | Partly Sunny |
| Jan 23 | 59°F | 48°F | Mostly Sunny |
| Jan 24 | 59°F | 47°F | Partly Sunny |
| Jan 25 | 59°F | 47°F | Mostly Cloudy |
| Jan 26 | 61°F | 47°F | Mostly Cloudy |
| Jan 27 | 62°F | 48°F | Partly Sunny |
Basically, if you’re planning an event, Friday, January 23, looks like the winner. It’s the only day listed as "mostly sunny." It’s still only 59°F, but without the cloud cover, it’ll feel significantly warmer if you’re standing in the sun near the South Shore Center.
What Most People Get Wrong About Alameda Winters
A lot of folks move here from the East Coast or the Midwest and think 60°F in January means it's "warm."
It’s not. Not really. Because we are surrounded by water that is currently sitting at about 53°F (the annual low for the Bay's surface temperature is right around January 20), that water acts as a massive refrigerator. It sucks the heat right out of the air as soon as the sun goes down.
If you’re visiting, the "Alameda Layer" is a real thing. You need a base layer, a light sweater, and a wind-resistant outer shell. Don't be the person in shorts just because the app says 64°F. You will regret it by 4:30 PM when the sun starts its 5:14 PM descent.
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Honestly, the best way to handle this 10-day stretch is to embrace the "gray." It’s perfect coffee-shop weather. Head over to Park Street or Webster, grab a latte, and enjoy the fact that we aren’t dealing with the 109°F record-breaking heatwaves we sometimes see in the summer.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your tire pressure: The drop from daytime 60s to nighttime 40s can trigger your TPMS light.
- Plan outdoor activities for Friday: It’s the highest probability of clear skies in the current 10-day window.
- Don't skip the moisturizer: 70% humidity sounds high, but the constant north wind can still dry out your skin faster than you’d think.
- Layer up for the evening: The 17-degree temperature drop happens fast once the sun dips behind the Peninsula.