Big Sur weather in February
In February, Big Sur sees average daytime highs of 55°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 4.8 in of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 10.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 55°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in February, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 10 h 12 min at the start of February to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Big Sur's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Big Sur's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 55°
- 12th warmest
- Overnight low
- 46°
- 1st coldest
- Precipitation
- 4.8 in
- 9.3 wet days
- Daylight
- 10 h 36 min
- 7:03 AM – 5:41 PM
- Cloud cover
- 53%
- 11th clearest
- Wind
- 9 mph
- 4th windiest
- Solar energy
- 3.71 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 3.6
- out of 10
Big Sur is region in Monterey County, California, United States.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in February
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 55°F through the month.
A typical February day in Big Sur reaches about 55°F in the afternoon and slips back to 46°F overnight — a 9°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 49°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, February runs on par with January and on par with March.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 55 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| Avg low (°F) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 46 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | 46 |
| 2 | 56 | 46 |
| 3 | 56 | 46 |
| 4 | 56 | 46 |
| 5 | 56 | 46 |
| 6 | 56 | 46 |
| 7 | 56 | 46 |
| 8 | 56 | 46 |
| 9 | 55 | 46 |
| 10 | 55 | 46 |
| 11 | 55 | 46 |
| 12 | 55 | 46 |
| 13 | 55 | 46 |
| 14 | 55 | 46 |
| 15 | 55 | 46 |
| 16 | 55 | 46 |
| 17 | 55 | 46 |
| 18 | 55 | 46 |
| 19 | 55 | 46 |
| 20 | 55 | 45 |
| 21 | 55 | 45 |
| 22 | 55 | 45 |
| 23 | 55 | 45 |
| 24 | 55 | 45 |
| 25 | 55 | 45 |
| 26 | 55 | 45 |
| 27 | 55 | 45 |
| 28 | 55 | 46 |
Big Sur weather by month
How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55° / 46° | 5.1 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 55° / 46° | 4.8 | 9.3 | 10.6 | 3.6 |
| Mar | 56° / 46° | 3.4 | 8.3 | 11.7 | 4.1 |
| Apr | 57° / 47° | 1.7 | 5.7 | 12.9 | 4.7 |
| May | 59° / 49° | 0.7 | 2.6 | 13.9 | 5.8 |
| Jun | 63° / 51° | 0.1 | 0.4 | 14.4 | 7.4 |
| Jul | 66° / 54° | 0.0 | 0.1 | 14.2 | 8.3 |
| Aug | 67° / 55° | 0.1 | 0.3 | 13.4 | 8.5 |
| Sep | 67° / 55° | 0.1 | 0.6 | 12.2 | 8.4 |
| Oct | 65° / 53° | 0.9 | 2.4 | 11.1 | 7.6 |
| Nov | 59° / 49° | 2.2 | 6.1 | 10.1 | 5.3 |
| Dec | 55° / 46° | 4.5 | 9.2 | 9.6 | 3.8 |
Cloud cover in February
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in February.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 52 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 51 |
| Cloudier (%) | 48 | 48 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 49 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52 | 48 |
| 2 | 52 | 48 |
| 3 | 53 | 47 |
| 4 | 53 | 47 |
| 5 | 53 | 47 |
| 6 | 53 | 47 |
| 7 | 53 | 47 |
| 8 | 53 | 47 |
| 9 | 52 | 48 |
| 10 | 52 | 48 |
| 11 | 52 | 48 |
| 12 | 52 | 48 |
| 13 | 52 | 48 |
| 14 | 53 | 47 |
| 15 | 52 | 48 |
| 16 | 52 | 48 |
| 17 | 53 | 47 |
| 18 | 52 | 48 |
| 19 | 52 | 48 |
| 20 | 52 | 48 |
| 21 | 52 | 48 |
| 22 | 52 | 48 |
| 23 | 52 | 48 |
| 24 | 52 | 48 |
| 25 | 52 | 48 |
| 26 | 52 | 48 |
| 27 | 52 | 48 |
| 28 | 51 | 49 |
Chance of precipitation in February
Big Sur gets around 4.8 in of rain and snow over 9.3 wet days in February. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 34% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 35 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 30 |
| 2 | 29 |
| 3 | 29 |
| 4 | 29 |
| 5 | 29 |
| 6 | 29 |
| 7 | 30 |
| 8 | 30 |
| 9 | 31 |
| 10 | 32 |
| 11 | 33 |
| 12 | 34 |
| 13 | 34 |
| 14 | 35 |
| 15 | 35 |
| 16 | 35 |
| 17 | 36 |
| 18 | 36 |
| 19 | 36 |
| 20 | 36 |
| 21 | 37 |
| 22 | 37 |
| 23 | 37 |
| 24 | 37 |
| 25 | 37 |
| 26 | 36 |
| 27 | 36 |
| 28 | 35 |
Humidity in February
Most of February feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, February lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Comfortable (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99 | 1 |
| 2 | 99 | 1 |
| 3 | 99 | 1 |
| 4 | 99 | 1 |
| 5 | 99 | 1 |
| 6 | 99 | 1 |
| 7 | 99 | 1 |
| 8 | 99 | 1 |
| 9 | 99 | 1 |
| 10 | 99 | 1 |
| 11 | 99 | 1 |
| 12 | 99 | 1 |
| 13 | 99 | 1 |
| 14 | 99 | 1 |
| 15 | 100 | 0 |
| 16 | 100 | 0 |
| 17 | 100 | 0 |
| 18 | 100 | 0 |
| 19 | 100 | 0 |
| 20 | 100 | 0 |
| 21 | 100 | 0 |
| 22 | 100 | 0 |
| 23 | 100 | 0 |
| 24 | 100 | 0 |
| 25 | 100 | 0 |
| 26 | 100 | 0 |
| 27 | 100 | 0 |
| 28 | 100 | 0 |
Wind in February
Winds average 9 mph in February.
Across February, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | light breeze |
| 2 | 8 | light breeze |
| 3 | 8 | light breeze |
| 4 | 8 | light breeze |
| 5 | 8 | light breeze |
| 6 | 8 | light breeze |
| 7 | 8 | light breeze |
| 8 | 8 | light breeze |
| 9 | 8 | light breeze |
| 10 | 9 | light breeze |
| 11 | 9 | light breeze |
| 12 | 9 | light breeze |
| 13 | 9 | light breeze |
| 14 | 9 | light breeze |
| 15 | 9 | light breeze |
| 16 | 9 | light breeze |
| 17 | 9 | light breeze |
| 18 | 9 | light breeze |
| 19 | 9 | light breeze |
| 20 | 9 | light breeze |
| 21 | 9 | light breeze |
| 22 | 9 | light breeze |
| 23 | 9 | light breeze |
| 24 | 9 | light breeze |
| 25 | 9 | light breeze |
| 26 | 9 | light breeze |
| 27 | 9 | light breeze |
| 28 | 9 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in February
Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min at the start of February to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 54 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 7:15 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 5:26 PM to 5:54 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 11.1 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:15 | 7:15 | 7:14 | 7:13 | 7:12 | 7:12 | 7:11 | 7:10 | 7:09 | 7:08 | 7:07 | 7:06 | 7:05 | 7:04 | 7:03 | 7:02 | 7:01 | 7:00 | 6:59 | 6:58 | 6:56 | 6:55 | 6:54 | 6:53 | 6:52 | 6:50 | 6:49 | 6:48 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:26 | 5:27 | 5:28 | 5:29 | 5:30 | 5:31 | 5:32 | 5:33 | 5:34 | 5:35 | 5:37 | 5:38 | 5:39 | 5:40 | 5:41 | 5:42 | 5:43 | 5:44 | 5:45 | 5:46 | 5:47 | 5:48 | 5:49 | 5:50 | 5:51 | 5:52 | 5:53 | 5:54 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10.2 | 7:15 | 5:26 |
| 2 | 10.2 | 7:15 | 5:27 |
| 3 | 10.2 | 7:14 | 5:28 |
| 4 | 10.3 | 7:13 | 5:29 |
| 5 | 10.3 | 7:12 | 5:30 |
| 6 | 10.3 | 7:12 | 5:31 |
| 7 | 10.4 | 7:11 | 5:32 |
| 8 | 10.4 | 7:10 | 5:33 |
| 9 | 10.4 | 7:09 | 5:34 |
| 10 | 10.5 | 7:08 | 5:35 |
| 11 | 10.5 | 7:07 | 5:37 |
| 12 | 10.5 | 7:06 | 5:38 |
| 13 | 10.6 | 7:05 | 5:39 |
| 14 | 10.6 | 7:04 | 5:40 |
| 15 | 10.6 | 7:03 | 5:41 |
| 16 | 10.7 | 7:02 | 5:42 |
| 17 | 10.7 | 7:01 | 5:43 |
| 18 | 10.7 | 7:00 | 5:44 |
| 19 | 10.8 | 6:59 | 5:45 |
| 20 | 10.8 | 6:58 | 5:46 |
| 21 | 10.8 | 6:56 | 5:47 |
| 22 | 10.9 | 6:55 | 5:48 |
| 23 | 10.9 | 6:54 | 5:49 |
| 24 | 10.9 | 6:53 | 5:50 |
| 25 | 11.0 | 6:52 | 5:51 |
| 26 | 11.0 | 6:50 | 5:52 |
| 27 | 11.1 | 6:49 | 5:53 |
| 28 | 11.1 | 6:48 | 5:54 |
Solar energy in February
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 3.71 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.59 kWh/m² to a high of 8.18 kWh/m² in June across the year — February's 3.71 kWh/m² falls in the middle.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 2 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 3 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 4 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 5 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 6 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 7 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 8 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 9 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 10 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 11 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 12 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 13 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 14 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 15 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 16 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 17 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 18 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 19 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 20 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 21 | 4.0 | Moderate |
| 22 | 4.0 | Bright |
| 23 | 4.1 | Bright |
| 24 | 4.1 | Bright |
| 25 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 26 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 27 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 28 | 4.3 | Bright |
Hazard calendar for Big Sur
In February, Big Sur sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Big Sur's rainy season runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is February a good time to visit Big Sur?
Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
February is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Big Sur.
What to pack for Big Sur in February
From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In February, Big Sur sees daytime highs around 55°F and nights near 46°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Big Sur in February
The nearest coast averages about 55°F in February — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 8 mi away) is warmest in September at about 59°F and coldest in April near 54°F.
The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 55 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 58 | 57 | 56 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55 | Bracing |
| Feb | 55 | Bracing |
| Mar | 55 | Bracing |
| Apr | 54 | Bracing |
| May | 54 | Bracing |
| Jun | 55 | Bracing |
| Jul | 57 | Bracing |
| Aug | 58 | Bracing |
| Sep | 59 | Bracing |
| Oct | 58 | Bracing |
| Nov | 57 | Bracing |
| Dec | 56 | Bracing |
UV index in Big Sur in February
Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Big Sur peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 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) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | Moderate |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | High |
| Oct | 5 | High |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Air quality in Big Sur in February
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where February falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Big Sur is worst in September — around 27 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 7.0× the cleanest month (December, 4 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) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 25 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Good |
| Feb | 5 | Good |
| Mar | 5 | Good |
| Apr | 5 | Good |
| May | 5 | Good |
| Jun | 5 | Good |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 6 | Good |
| Nov | 4 | Good |
| Dec | 4 | Good |
Where is Big Sur?
Big Sur sits at 36.3°N, 121.8°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Monterey, 24 mi away.
Topography around Big Sur
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Big Sur.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Big Sur has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,455 ft around an average of 1,145 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,918 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,758 ft.
The land around Big Sur is covered by trees (77%) within 2 miles, water (45%) and trees (43%) within 10 miles, and water (40%), grassland (27%) and trees (22%) within 50 miles.
United States travel facts
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 100% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $90,027
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 98%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 5.8
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12.7
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- 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 Big Sur (36.2702°, -121.8075°, elevation 0 ft), 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).