El Cerrito, California Weather
Coastal fog thickens at dawn. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
El Cerrito weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast——76°52°—
- ThursdayJun 4Clear——81°52°+5°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——79°54°-2°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——72°54°-7°
- SundayJun 7Overcast——69°51°-3°
- MondayJun 8Overcast11%—67°53°-2°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——68°57°+1°
PM2.5 at 5.8 µg/m³ (AQI 32) with a 0.67 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust. AQI down 7 over the last 6 hours (steady decline since this morning).
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the projected peak around 6 AM.
What's driving it
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 5.8 µg/m³ (AQI 32) with a 0.67 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.67
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 6:35 AM
- Moonset
- 4:23 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Coastal fog thickens at dawn
El Cerrito at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 16°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 4 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
El Cerrito's warmest month is September (~71°F mean) and its coldest is January (~50°F). Rainfall peaks in December (4.5 inches) and bottoms out in July (0.0 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50° | 4.5″ | 15 |
| February | 54° | 3.6″ | 12 |
| March | 57° | 3.2″ | 11 |
| April | 60° | 1.4″ | 5 |
| May | 65° | 0.8″ | 3 |
| June | 69° | 0.2″ | 1 |
| July | 71° | 0.0″ | 1 |
| August | 71° | 0.0″ | 1 |
| September | 71° | 0.1″ | 1 |
| October | 66° | 1.0″ | 3 |
| November | 56° | 2.2″ | 7 |
| December | 50° | 4.5″ | 15 |
Regional context
El Cerrito sits within a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region — a cohort that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Diego, CA, Riverside, CA, Sacramento, CA.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in El Cerrito?
- El Cerrito's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in El Cerrito?
- December is the wettest month with about 4.5 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 21 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in El Cerrito?
- September is typically warmest, averaging about 71°F.
- What is the coldest month in El Cerrito?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 50°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in El Cerrito?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does El Cerrito get?
- El Cerrito averages about 75 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is El Cerrito?
- El Cerrito's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
El Cerrito, California sits in a hot-summer Mediterranean climate zone. January means hover near 50°F while July averages 71°F — a 21°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, El Cerrito receives about 21 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 75 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (37.9°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.