Climate and average weather in Carlsbad
In Carlsbad, the summers are warm, dry, and clear and the winters are mild and mostly clear.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Carlsbad typically varies from 47°F to 82°F, and is rarely below 40°F or above 90°F. August is the hottest month of the year, while February is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Carlsbad for warm-weather activities is from mid April to late November.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 82°
- Coldest
- Feb
- 48°
- Wettest
- Feb
- 3.6 in
- Driest
- Aug
- 0.0 in
- Rain / yr
- 14.6 in
- 38 wet days
- Daylight
- 9.8–14.2 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 52 ft
- 33.2°N
- Clearest
- Aug
- 14% cloud
Carlsbad is coastal city in the North County region of San Diego County, California, United States.
- Density
- 1,133/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1952
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Carlsbad weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid April to late November.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Carlsbad, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 3.3 months, from June 28 to October 5, with daily high temperatures above 78°F. The hottest month of the year in Carlsbad is August, with an average high of 82°F and low of 66°F.
The cool season lasts 4.4 months, from November 28 to April 10, with daily high temperatures below 67°F. The coldest month of the year in Carlsbad is February, with an average low of 48°F and high of 64°F.
Days typically run about 16°F warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 64 | 64 | 65 | 68 | 71 | 75 | 80 | 82 | 81 | 76 | 70 | 64 |
| Avg low (°F) | 47 | 48 | 50 | 53 | 56 | 60 | 65 | 66 | 64 | 59 | 52 | 47 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 47 |
| Feb | 64 | 48 |
| Mar | 65 | 50 |
| Apr | 68 | 53 |
| May | 71 | 56 |
| Jun | 75 | 60 |
| Jul | 80 | 65 |
| Aug | 82 | 66 |
| Sep | 81 | 64 |
| Oct | 76 | 59 |
| Nov | 70 | 52 |
| Dec | 64 | 47 |
Average hourly temperature in Carlsbad
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 82°F, and coldest before dawn in February, near 48°F.
Carlsbad weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64° / 47° | 2.9 | 5.8 | 10.1 | 6.7 |
| Feb | 64° / 48° | 3.6 | 6.8 | 10.8 | 6.4 |
| Mar | 65° / 50° | 2.2 | 6.2 | 11.7 | 6.8 |
| Apr | 68° / 53° | 1.1 | 4.1 | 12.8 | 7.5 |
| May | 71° / 56° | 0.5 | 2.1 | 13.7 | 8.1 |
| Jun | 75° / 60° | 0.1 | 0.5 | 14.1 | 9.1 |
| Jul | 80° / 65° | 0.1 | 0.4 | 14 | 8.8 |
| Aug | 82° / 66° | 0.0 | 0.2 | 13.2 | 8.5 |
| Sep | 81° / 64° | 0.1 | 0.7 | 12.2 | 8.6 |
| Oct | 76° / 59° | 0.7 | 2.6 | 11.2 | 8.7 |
| Nov | 70° / 52° | 1.1 | 3.5 | 10.3 | 7.9 |
| Dec | 64° / 47° | 2.1 | 5.1 | 9.8 | 6.8 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Carlsbad gets about 14.6 in of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is mostly dry, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 6.1 months, from around Oct 31 to May 4, peaking in February at about 27% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Aug 19.
February is the wettest month by volume, with 3.6 in over about 7 wet days; August is the driest, with 0.0 in.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 18 | 24 | 21 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 17 |
| Rain days | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | 6 |
| Feb | 24 | 7 |
| Mar | 21 | 6 |
| Apr | 13 | 4 |
| May | 7 | 2 |
| Jun | 2 | 1 |
| Jul | 1 | 0 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 3 | 1 |
| Oct | 8 | 3 |
| Nov | 11 | 4 |
| Dec | 17 | 5 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Carlsbad collects about 14.6 in of rain across 38 wet days — roughly 1.2 in in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. February is the wettest month with 3.6 in, while August is the driest at just 0.0 in. The three wettest months alone bring about 60% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (in) | 2.9 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.1 |
| Rain days | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Rainfall (in) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.9 | 6 |
| Feb | 3.6 | 7 |
| Mar | 2.2 | 6 |
| Apr | 1.1 | 4 |
| May | 0.5 | 2 |
| Jun | 0.1 | 1 |
| Jul | 0.1 | 0 |
| Aug | 0.0 | 0 |
| Sep | 0.1 | 1 |
| Oct | 0.7 | 3 |
| Nov | 1.1 | 4 |
| Dec | 2.1 | 5 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Carlsbad, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around May 27 and lasts for 5.5 months, ending around November 8. The clearest month is August, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 95% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around November 9 and lasts for 6.5 months, ending around May 26. The cloudiest month is February, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 44% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 61 | 56 | 60 | 68 | 71 | 87 | 91 | 95 | 90 | 80 | 72 | 64 |
| Cloudier (%) | 39 | 44 | 40 | 32 | 29 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 28 | 36 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61 | 39 |
| Feb | 56 | 44 |
| Mar | 60 | 40 |
| Apr | 68 | 32 |
| May | 71 | 29 |
| Jun | 87 | 13 |
| Jul | 91 | 9 |
| Aug | 95 | 5 |
| Sep | 90 | 10 |
| Oct | 80 | 20 |
| Nov | 72 | 28 |
| Dec | 64 | 36 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 12, brings about 14 h 12 min of light; the shortest, around January 1, only 9 h 48 min — a swing of roughly 4 h 24 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.1 | 10.8 | 11.7 | 12.8 | 13.7 | 14.1 | 14.0 | 13.2 | 12.2 | 11.2 | 10.3 | 9.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:58 | 6:41 | 6:07 | 5:25 | 4:54 | 4:44 | 4:55 | 5:16 | 5:38 | 6:00 | 6:27 | 6:51 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:00 | 5:27 | 5:51 | 6:14 | 6:37 | 6:55 | 6:55 | 6:31 | 5:50 | 5:09 | 4:42 | 4:40 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.1 | 6:58 | 5:00 |
| Feb | 10.8 | 6:41 | 5:27 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 6:07 | 5:51 |
| Apr | 12.8 | 5:25 | 6:14 |
| May | 13.7 | 4:54 | 6:37 |
| Jun | 14.1 | 4:44 | 6:55 |
| Jul | 14.0 | 4:55 | 6:55 |
| Aug | 13.2 | 5:16 | 6:31 |
| Sep | 12.2 | 5:38 | 5:50 |
| Oct | 11.2 | 6:00 | 5:09 |
| Nov | 10.3 | 6:27 | 4:42 |
| Dec | 9.8 | 6:51 | 4:40 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Carlsbad averages about 19 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 12 and 27 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 4.9 months, from around May 31 to Oct 27. The sunniest month is August, with roughly 27 sunny days (brilliant).
The greyest month is February, down near 13 sunny days — about 51% fewer than the August peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 15 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 21 | 18 | 16 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Brilliant | Brilliant | Brilliant | Brilliant | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Mixed |
| Feb | 12 | Mixed |
| Mar | 13 | Mixed |
| Apr | 16 | Bright |
| May | 17 | Bright |
| Jun | 23 | Brilliant |
| Jul | 26 | Brilliant |
| Aug | 27 | Brilliant |
| Sep | 25 | Brilliant |
| Oct | 21 | Bright |
| Nov | 18 | Bright |
| Dec | 16 | Bright |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Carlsbad, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 3.7 months, from around June 18 to October 9. The muggiest month is August, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 80% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around October 10 to June 17, and January is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 98 | 97 | 93 | 87 | 57 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 45 | 90 | 98 |
| Comfortable (%) | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 59 | 29 | 20 | 35 | 39 | 10 | 2 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 54 | 53 | 41 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 25 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oppressive (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 93 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr | 87 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 57 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 19 | 59 | 21 | 2 | 0 |
| Jul | 1 | 29 | 54 | 16 | 0 |
| Aug | 0 | 20 | 53 | 25 | 1 |
| Sep | 9 | 35 | 41 | 14 | 1 |
| Oct | 45 | 39 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Nov | 90 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Wind in Carlsbad is steady company: average speeds sit near 4 mph — calm — in every month of the year, with no meaningful windy or calm season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | calm |
| Feb | 4 | calm |
| Mar | 4 | calm |
| Apr | 5 | calm |
| May | 5 | calm |
| Jun | 4 | calm |
| Jul | 4 | calm |
| Aug | 4 | calm |
| Sep | 4 | calm |
| Oct | 4 | calm |
| Nov | 4 | calm |
| Dec | 4 | calm |
Best time to visit Carlsbad
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Carlsbad throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around mid November, Carlsbad is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 64°F and 82°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Carlsbad for general outdoor tourist activities is from mid April to late November, with a peak score in the third week of June.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 7.9 | 6.8 |
| Rating | good | good | good | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | good |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.7 | good |
| Feb | 6.4 | good |
| Mar | 6.8 | good |
| Apr | 7.5 | ideal |
| May | 8.1 | ideal |
| Jun | 9.1 | ideal |
| Jul | 8.8 | ideal |
| Aug | 8.5 | ideal |
| Sep | 8.6 | ideal |
| Oct | 8.7 | ideal |
| Nov | 7.9 | ideal |
| Dec | 6.8 | good |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 75°F and 93°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Carlsbad for hot-weather activities is from mid June to mid October, with a peak score in the last week of August.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Carlsbad, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around August (highs near 82°F), the essentials are light clothes and sun protection. In the cold season around February (highs near 64°F), pack a light layer.
In August, Carlsbad sees daytime highs around 82°F and nights near 66°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Carlsbad
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in January near 59°F.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 5 to Oct 7 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 59 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 64 | 66 | 69 | 71 | 70 | 67 | 64 | 61 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | Cool |
| Feb | 59 | Cool |
| Mar | 60 | Cool |
| Apr | 61 | Cool |
| May | 64 | Cool |
| Jun | 66 | Cool |
| Jul | 69 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 71 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 70 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 67 | Cool |
| Nov | 64 | Cool |
| Dec | 61 | Cool |
UV index (midday) in Carlsbad by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Carlsbad peaks around July 11 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | Moderate |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Average hourly UV index in Carlsbad
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 3 | 4.5 | 5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7 | 5.5 | 3 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | 0 |
| Feb | 4.5 | 0 |
| Mar | 5 | 0 |
| Apr | 7 | 3.5 |
| May | 7.5 | 4.5 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 6 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6 |
| Aug | 8 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 7 | 4 |
| Oct | 5.5 | 0 |
| Nov | 3 | 0 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 |
Air quality in Carlsbad by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Carlsbad is worst in September — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (May, 8 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) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 16 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Good |
| Feb | 12 | Moderate |
| Mar | 12 | Moderate |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 8 | Good |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 11 | Good |
| Aug | 15 | Moderate |
| Sep | 26 | Moderate |
| Oct | 14 | Moderate |
| Nov | 12 | Moderate |
| Dec | 16 | Moderate |
Growing season
Carlsbad is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 50°F: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Carlsbad banks about 5,010 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°F·days) | 169 | 168 | 244 | 312 | 418 | 527 | 693 | 751 | 678 | 545 | 331 | 173 |
| Growing degree days (°F·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 169 |
| Feb | 168 |
| Mar | 244 |
| Apr | 312 |
| May | 418 |
| Jun | 527 |
| Jul | 693 |
| Aug | 751 |
| Sep | 678 |
| Oct | 545 |
| Nov | 331 |
| Dec | 173 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Carlsbad receives about 5.6 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 3.0 and 8.0 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.3 months, from around Mar 20 to Sep 28. The brightest month is June, averaging about 7.9 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is December, down near 3.1 kWh/m² — roughly 61% less than the June peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.3 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 6.2 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Level | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4.1 | Bright |
| Mar | 5.5 | Bright |
| Apr | 6.7 | Intense |
| May | 7.4 | Intense |
| Jun | 8.0 | Intense |
| Jul | 7.7 | Intense |
| Aug | 7.2 | Intense |
| Sep | 6.2 | Intense |
| Oct | 4.8 | Bright |
| Nov | 3.7 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3.1 | Moderate |
Where is Carlsbad?
Carlsbad sits at 33.2°N, 117.4°W, 52 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Oceanside, 3.1 mi away.
Topography around Carlsbad
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Carlsbad.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Carlsbad has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 344 ft around an average of 56 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,335 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,624 ft.
The land around Carlsbad is covered by water (48%) and artificial surfaces (37%) within 2 miles, water (47%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 10 miles, and water (33%) and shrubs (21%) 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 Carlsbad (33.1581°, -117.3506°, elevation 52 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).