It’s been weirdly hot in SLO County this December. Here’s why
San Luis Obispo County isn’t known for cold temperatures — but consistently hitting the mid-70s in the middle of December is another thing entirely.
Two weeks out from Christmas, temperatures in San Luis Obispo are sticking to the low to mid-70s in some places — far higher than normal, meteorologist John Lindsey said.
Lindsey said on Wednesday and Thursday, the notably high temperatures even topped 80 in San Luis Obispo and came close to breaking a pair of heat records.
Thursday’s temperatures were expected to come in just two degrees shy of the 84 degree record for Dec. 11 in San Luis Obispo, set in 2017, just a day after temperatures fell similarly short the Dec. 10 record of 85 degrees set in 1957, Lindsey said.
That mainly comes down to the amount of sunlight the Central Coast is experiencing — a side effect of a “ridiculously resilient ridge” of high pressure that’s been impacting weather over California since late November, Lindsey said.
“If you have solar panels, it's been one of the best Decembers on record so far because it's been so sunny,” Lindsey said.
Higher temperatures expected over next week
Lindsey said it isn’t out of the question to see a temperature record broken over this week of unseasonably high heat.
At this point in December, San Luis Obispo typically averages a high of 64.8 degrees — almost eight degrees lower than the current average of 72.2 degrees, Lindsey said.
As a low pressure trough moves back into the San Luis Obispo area on Saturday evening, the marine layer that coastal residents are accustomed to will return, lowering temperatures somewhat, Lindsey said.
As the Central Coast continues to enjoy a couple of weeks without much fog or cloud cover, the opposite story is playing out in the Central Valley, with persistent fog keeping temperatures firmly in the 40s and 50s with little overnight change depending on the specific area, Lindsey said.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to hold in the low 70s in San Luis Obispo into the middle of next week at least.
This trend is expected to extend across most of the county, with many areas within a few degrees of the mid-70s for the time being.
Clear skies are expected to remain over the course of the next week, with some clouds and overnight coastal fog forecasted on Friday and Saturday, according to the Weather Service.
Warmer temperatures are also expected to hold through most of next week, with more cloud cover coming back into play as Christmas approaches, Lindsey said.
Lindsey said while it’s still early to make a prediction, he wouldn’t be surprised if Christmas week brings “unsettled weather” and chances of precipitation with it.
This story was originally published December 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM.
