Historical weather data, all-time temperature records, and monthly climate averages for Arcata, CA. Explore typical weather conditions by week for trip planning, and see how today compares to the historical record.
April 4th in Arcata is classically mild and damp — expect highs near 56° and lows around 44°, with about a 1-in-3 chance of rain. The date has seen some real swings over the years, from a balmy 75° back in 1972 to a freezing 32° in 2001.
Arcata's weather is defined by its remarkable moderation — the all-time high is just 87°, recorded on September 2, 2017, and even the coldest day on record only dipped to 21° in December 1972. The real drama here comes from rain: a single December day in 2002 dropped 6.79 inches, and the rare dusting of 2 inches of snow in February 1989 still stands as the snowiest day in 85 years of records.
Arcata's temperature range is legendarily narrow — monthly average highs span only 10 degrees across the entire year, from 54° in early January to 64° in late August. If you want the warmest and driest stretch, aim for late summer into early fall. Come winter, especially that last week of December, pack a rain jacket — it's the wettest week of the year, averaging nearly 2 inches of precipitation.