Santa Cruz in Spring
In spring (September, October and November), Santa Cruz sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 106 mm of rain over about 12 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 17°C in early September to 26°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Santa Cruz's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Santa Cruz's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 8°C
- Rainfall
- 106 mm
- 12 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.5
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Santa Cruz in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 17°C in early September to 26°C by late November.
A typical spring day in Santa Cruz reaches about 21°C and drops to 8°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is November, the coolest September.
Santa Cruz weather by month
How the three spring months (September, October and November) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 14° | 3 | 0.6 | 14.1 | 7.7 |
| Feb | 28° / 14° | 5 | 0.7 | 13.3 | 8.2 |
| Mar | 26° / 12° | 8 | 1.4 | 12.3 | 8.8 |
| Apr | 21° / 9° | 41 | 3.4 | 11.2 | 7.8 |
| May | 17° / 7° | 115 | 7 | 10.2 | 5.6 |
| Jun | 14° / 5° | 195 | 10.2 | 9.7 | 3.9 |
| Jul | 14° / 4° | 130 | 8.8 | 9.9 | 4.0 |
| Aug | 15° / 5° | 108 | 7.8 | 10.7 | 4.9 |
| Sep | 18° / 7° | 58 | 5.8 | 11.8 | 6.4 |
| Oct | 21° / 8° | 35 | 4.2 | 12.9 | 7.5 |
| Nov | 25° / 10° | 13 | 2.2 | 13.8 | 8.6 |
| Dec | 27° / 12° | 10 | 1.3 | 14.3 | 8.5 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Santa Cruz gets around 106 mm of rain over 12 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 7 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min in early September to 14 h 06 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Santa Cruz
None of Santa Cruz's seasonal hazards peak in spring. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Santa Cruz's rainy season runs May–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is spring a good time to visit Santa Cruz?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is one of the better times to visit Santa Cruz for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Santa Cruz in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Santa Cruz sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 8°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and a warm layer. About 12 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Santa Cruz in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 13°C across spring — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 69 km away) is warmest in February at about 16°C and coldest in August near 12°C.
The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Cool |
| Feb | 16 | Cool |
| Mar | 16 | Cool |
| Apr | 15 | Bracing |
| May | 14 | Bracing |
| Jun | 13 | Bracing |
| Jul | 13 | Bracing |
| Aug | 12 | Bracing |
| Sep | 13 | Bracing |
| Oct | 13 | Bracing |
| Nov | 14 | Bracing |
| Dec | 15 | Bracing |
UV index in Santa Cruz in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Cruz peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 15 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 5 | High |
| May | 3 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4 | Moderate |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Santa Cruz in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Santa Cruz is worst in May — around 41 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 19 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 34 | 22 | 22 | 29 | 41 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 32 | 24 | 19 | 19 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | Moderate |
| Feb | 22 | Moderate |
| Mar | 22 | Moderate |
| Apr | 29 | Moderate |
| May | 41 | Poor |
| Jun | 37 | Poor |
| Jul | 37 | Poor |
| Aug | 35 | Moderate |
| Sep | 32 | Moderate |
| Oct | 24 | Moderate |
| Nov | 19 | Moderate |
| Dec | 19 | Moderate |
Where is Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz sits at 34.6°S, 71.4°W, 174 m above sea level, in Chile. The nearest listed city is Chimbarongo, 31 km away.
Topography around Santa Cruz
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santa Cruz.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Cruz has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 35 m around an average of 164 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,083 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,840 m.
The land around Santa Cruz is covered by cropland (41%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, trees (32%) and cropland (31%) within 16 km, and trees (36%) and grassland (28%) within 80 km.
Chile travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / F / L
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 48% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $17,995
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 98%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 6.3
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 14.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 517
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Santa Cruz (-34.6388°, -71.3658°, elevation 174 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.