Watsonville weather in April

In April, Watsonville sees average daytime highs of 64°F and overnight lows near 48°F, with 1.3 in of rain across 4.7 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 66°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in April, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of April to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Watsonville's 8th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Watsonville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
64°
7th warmest
Overnight low
48°
6th coldest
Rainfall
1.3 in
4.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:39 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
45%
8th clearest
Wind
5 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Watsonville is city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States.

Density
3,052/km²
people per km²
Founded
1868

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 66°F by the end.

A typical April day in Watsonville reaches about 64°F in the afternoon and slips back to 48°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 2°F warmer than March and about 3°F cooler than May.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16247
26247
36247
46247
56247
66247
76247
86347
96347
106347
116347
126347
136347
146347
156447
166448
176448
186448
196448
206448
216548
226548
236548
246549
256549
266549
276549
286649
296649
306649

Watsonville weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 43°4.28.79.84.6
Feb60° / 45°4.2910.64.9
Mar62° / 46°3.08.411.75.6
Apr64° / 48°1.34.712.96.6
May67° / 51°0.62.813.97.6
Jun70° / 53°0.10.614.58.7
Jul72° / 56°0.00.214.39.2
Aug73° / 57°0.00.213.49.4
Sep73° / 56°0.10.512.39.3
Oct71° / 52°0.82.1118.4
Nov64° / 46°1.85.3106.5
Dec58° / 43°3.88.69.54.6

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in April.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15743
25743
35842
45842
55842
65941
75941
85941
96040
106040
116040
126238
136238
146337
156436
166535
176634
186634
196733
206733
216832
226832
236931
246931
256931
266931
276931
287030
297030
307030

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitation

Watsonville gets around 1.3 in of rain over 4.7 wet days in April. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 16% and peaks near 21% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
121
220
320
420
520
619
719
819
919
1019
1119
1218
1318
1418
1517
1616
1716
1815
1915
2014
2114
2213
2313
2413
2513
2612
2712
2812
2912
3011

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of April feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, April lands in the dry band about 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12982
13982
14982
15982
16982
17982
18973
19973
20973
21973
22964
23964
24964
25964
26964
27955
28955
29955
30955

Wind in April

Winds average 5 mph in April, the windiest month of the year.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of April to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 6:01 AM to 5:21 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 6:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:016:22
212.46:006:23
312.45:586:24
412.55:576:25
512.55:556:26
612.65:546:27
712.65:526:28
812.65:516:28
912.75:496:29
1012.75:486:30
1112.75:466:31
1212.85:456:32
1312.85:436:33
1412.95:426:34
1512.95:406:35
1612.95:396:36
1713.05:386:36
1813.05:366:37
1913.15:356:38
2013.15:336:39
2113.15:326:40
2213.25:316:41
2313.25:296:42
2413.25:286:43
2513.35:276:44
2613.35:266:45
2713.45:246:45
2813.45:236:46
2913.45:226:47
3013.55:216:48

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 6.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.39 kWh/m² to a high of 7.82 kWh/m² in June across the year — April's 6.19 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
116.0Bright
126.0Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.4Intense
216.4Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.8Intense
Planning a trip in April

Hazard calendar for Watsonville

In seasonPeak

None of Watsonville's seasonal hazards are active in April. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Watsonville's rainy season runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is April a good time to visit Watsonville?

Our two travel scores rate April for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.6
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
2.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

April is a reasonable time to visit Watsonville for sightseeing.

What to pack for Watsonville in April

From April's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In April, Watsonville sees daytime highs around 64°F and nights near 48°F. Pack sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Watsonville in April

The nearest coast averages about 54°F in April — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 58°F and coldest in April near 54°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

52°54°56°58°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan55Bracing
Feb55Bracing
Mar55Bracing
Apr54Bracing
May54Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul57Bracing
Aug58Bracing
Sep58Bracing
Oct58Bracing
Nov56Bracing
Dec55Bracing

UV index in Watsonville in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Watsonville peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 11Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7High
Oct5High
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Watsonville in April

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where April falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Watsonville is worst in August — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1920 µg/m³Jun 135 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar8Good
Apr7Good
May6Good
Jun5Good
Jul8Good
Aug22Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Watsonville?

Watsonville sits at 36.9°N, 121.8°W, 33 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Prunedale, 11 mi away.

Topography around Watsonville

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Watsonville.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Watsonville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 ft around an average of 43 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,651 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,121 ft.

The land around Watsonville is covered by artificial surfaces (40%) and cropland (38%) within 2 miles, trees (43%) and water (21%) within 10 miles, and grassland (35%), trees (28%) and water (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
131 ft
10 miles
2,651 ft
50 miles
5,121 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
April weather nearby: Prunedale 11 mi · Gilroy 12 mi · Live Oak 13 mi · Santa Cruz 16 mi · Marina 16 mi · Morgan Hill 16 mi · Salinas 17 mi · Hollister 20 mi

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
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

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 Watsonville (36.9102°, -121.7569°, elevation 33 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).