Average Monthly Sunshine in Santa Cruz

The graphs on this page shows the average number of hours per month and per day that Santa Cruz receives direct sunlight. The numbers are calculated over a 30-year period to provide a reliable average.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Year-round, Santa Cruz offers consistent sunshine. The difference between the sunniest month, April, with 253 hours, and September, the least sunny month, with 210, is minimal. The total annual sunshine amounts to 2794 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

The sunniest days in Santa Cruz occur in April, with around 8.4 hours of daily sunshine. Even in September, the least sunny month, Santa Cruz doesn't shy away from the sun, still enjoying a comfortable 7.0 hours of daily sunlight.

Santa Cruz’s total hours of sunshine compared to other major cities

Santa Cruz enjoys an average of 2794 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

Seville, Spain, enjoys an impressive 2920 hours of sunshine per year, making it an ideal destination even in winter.

In contrast, Juneau, Alaska, receives only about 1523 hours of sunshine per year and is known for its very short days in winter and frequently overcast conditions.

Beijing, China, has 2505 hours of sunshine annually, with clear, sunny days in winter.

In Tokyo, Japan, the average annual sunshine is 1930 hours, with sunny periods between rainy seasons.

Other climate information

September, Santa Cruz’s wettest month, receives 70 mm of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 32°C. During the driest month January you can expect a temperature of 29°C.

For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Santa Cruz Precipitation page.