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Coldest beach in California

404 coastal locations in California ranked by year-round average sea temperature, coldest first. The state-wide average is 14.5°C. The coldest month is March at 12.9°C. Click any beach for its 30-day chart and 10-year history.

Coldest year-round

Pyramid Point, Smith River

11.6°C annual mean

State-wide average

14.5°C

across 404 California coastal locations

Coldest month

March

12.9°C state-wide average

What the water feels like in March

Water at this temperature is cold and will feel very cold initially, but the body will get used to it and longer swims are possible. Experienced swimmers can manage several hours of swimming, however hypothermia is still a real risk.

California monthly average 12.9°C to 16.9°C
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  • Warmest month September 16.9°C
  • Coldest month March 12.9°C
  • Annual mean 14.5°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Month by month around the California coast

California sea temperatures swing from 12.9°C in March to 16.9°C in September on average across the coast. That's a spread of 4°C. Pick a single month for a focused ranking:

California sea temperature map

Today's pin colours show the latest daily reading at every California beach we track. Drag and zoom; click any pin for that beach's full page.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 coldest beaches in California

Sorted by year-round average. Click any beach for its 30-day chart, monthly profile, and 10-year history.

# Location Annual mean
1 Drakes Bay California 12.9°C
2 Inverness California 12.9°C
3 Blakes Landing, Tomales Bay California 12.9°C
4 Drakes Bay, Point Reyes California 12.9°C
5 Inverness, Tomales Bay California 12.9°C
6 Marshall, Tomales Bay California 12.9°C
7 Reynolds, Tomales Bay California 12.9°C
8 Tomales Bay entrance California 12.9°C
9 Bodega Bay California 12.2°C
10 Jenner California 12.2°C
11 Salmon Creek California 12.2°C
12 Mendocino, Mendocino Bay California 12.1°C
13 Noyo Harbor, Fort Bragg California 12.1°C
14 Noyo River California 12.1°C
15 Fort Bragg California 12.0°C
16 Glass Beach California 12.0°C
17 Mendocino California 12.0°C
18 Westport California 12.0°C
19 Sea Ranch California 12.0°C
20 Shelter Cove California 11.9°C
21 Dillon Beach California 11.9°C
22 Lake Almanor California 11.9°C
23 Shasta Lake California 11.9°C
24 Bodega Harbor entrance California 11.9°C
25 Fort Ross California 11.9°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Bayview California 11.8°C
27 Eureka California 11.8°C
28 Arena Cove California 11.8°C
29 Point Arena California 11.8°C
30 Clear Lake California 11.8°C
31 King Salmon California 11.8°C
32 Lake Sonoma California 11.8°C
33 Lakeport California 11.8°C
34 Trinidad Harbor California 11.8°C
35 Trinidad California 11.8°C
36 Arcata Wharf, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
37 Bucksport, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
38 Elk River Railroad Bridge, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
39 Eureka, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
40 Eureka Slough Bridge, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
41 Fields Landing, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
42 Hookton Slough, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
43 Mad River Slough, Arcata Bay, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
44 North Spit, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
45 Samoa, Humboldt Bay California 11.7°C
46 Green Cove California 11.7°C
47 Crescent City California 11.7°C
48 Cockrobin Island Bridge, Eel River, San Francisco California 11.6°C
49 Pyramid Point, Smith River California 11.6°C
50 Requa Dock California 11.6°C

Warmest 10 in California for contrast

Same data flipped. The warmest year-round spots in the state.

# Location Annual mean
1 Baby Beach California 18.3°C
2 Capistrano Beach California 18.3°C
3 Dana Point California 18.3°C
4 Doheny Beach California 18.3°C
5 Salt Creek Beach California 18.3°C
6 San Clemente California 18.3°C
7 San Onofre Beach California 18.3°C
8 Trestles Beach California 18.3°C
9 Black's Beach California 18.3°C
10 Del Mar California 18.3°C

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