Climate Comfort Score
72/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 58°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Carmel Valley, CA Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 58°F
- Avg annual temp
- 72/100
- Comfort score
- 17.9"
- Annual precip
- 291d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Carmel Valley
Carmel Valley, California averages 58°F a year and scores 72/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 66% of U.S. cities.
- 58°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 72/100
- comfort score, milder than 66% of U.S. cities
- 17.9"
- annual precipitation
- 291 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
58°F (15°C)
Avg High
72°F
Avg Low
45°F
Annual Precip
17.9"
Comfort Score
72/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
58°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
17.9"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Carmel Valley) 72.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Carmel Valley area.
How Carmel Valley compares to every U.S. city
Carmel Valley's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
72 Top 34% higher than 66% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Carmel Valley
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Carmel Valley, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63°F (17°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.9" | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| February | 64°F (18°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.5" | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 67°F (19°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.8" | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| April | 69°F (20°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.4" | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 0.5" | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| June | 76°F (24°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.1" | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| July | 79°F (26°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| August | 80°F (26°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.1" | 0.0 | 3.1 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.1" | 0.0 | 6.5 |
| October | 78°F (26°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.8" | 0.0 | 4.2 |
| November | 69°F (20°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.7" | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| December | 63°F (17°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 3.0" | 4.6 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 3.9"
10.5 days with precipitation
February 3.5"
10.3 days with precipitation
March 2.8"
9.9 days with precipitation
April 1.4"
7.6 days with precipitation
May 0.5"
3.8 days with precipitation
June 0.1"
1.0 days with precipitation
July 0.0"
0.2 days with precipitation
August 0.1"
0.2 days with precipitation
September 0.1"
0.8 days with precipitation
October 0.8"
2.9 days with precipitation
November 1.7"
6.7 days with precipitation
December 3.0"
12.2 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
December 8
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
February 20
50% probability date
Growing Season
291 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
2,730
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
292
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
September
Coldest Month
December
What Carmel Valley's climate means for you
Carmel Valley runs 58°F a year - peaking in September, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 291 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near February 20 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 2,730 heating and 292 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Carmel Valley, CA
Based on station USC00041534 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Carmel Valley, California averages 58°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 72°F to a mean daily low of 45°F. September is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Carmel Valley receives roughly 17.9 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 291 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near February 20 and the first fall freeze near December 8. For energy use, 2,730 heating degree days and 292 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Carmel Valley scores 72/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, September-driven heat peaks in summer, and December-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Carmel Valley, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Carmel Valley, California is 58°F. The warmest month averages 81°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 40°F (4°C).
How much rain does Carmel Valley get? ▼
Carmel Valley receives 17.9 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Carmel Valley? ▼
Carmel Valley has a climate comfort score of 72/100 (Good), milder than 66% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Carmel Valley? ▼
Carmel Valley has approximately 291 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around February 20 and the first fall freeze around December 8.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Carmel Valley? ▼
Carmel Valley has 2,730 heating degree days and 292 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Carmel Valley climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00041534 near Carmel Valley.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00041534. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.