Typical December weather
Santa Cruz
California · December
61° days
39° nights
about 6 rainy days · 9½ hours of daylight · ocean 57°
What to pack
- Sweater
What December feels like
December is the coldest of it, with enough rain to turn the San Lorenzo brown and fast. The big-wave crowd watches for the swell that lights up Mavericks up the coast; on the calm days, the beach is entirely yours.
Expect about 6 days with real rain — enough to notice, not enough to plan around.
Can you swim?
The ocean runs about 57° — frigid — locals in wetsuits only.
The numbers
| Typical high | 61° |
|---|---|
| Typical low | 39° |
| Days with real rain | 6 |
| Total rain | 4.0 in |
| Water temperature | 57° |
| Sunrise / sunset (mid-month) | 7:14 am / 4:52 pm |