San Gregorio, California

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San Gregorio is a town in San Mateo County, California, with a population of about 150 people. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, south of Half Moon Bay. Following Highway 1, it is slightly inland on Highway 84, from San Gregorio State Beach. The beach is a favorite among locals, with lots of driftwood and soft cliffs it is a great place to spend a day.

[edit] Climate

According to the National Weather Service, San Gregorio enjoys mild weather throughout the year, except for some remarkably chilly mornings, even in the summer. Fog and low overcast are common in the night and morning hours, too, especially in the summer. Most of the rainfall falls from November through April. Normal annual precipitation is 29.52 inches. San Gregorio has an average of 92.3 days with measurable rain. The wettest year on record was 1983 when 57.86 inches of rain fell. The wettest month recorded was 12.13 inches in February 1998. The maximum 24-hour rainfall was 6.87 inches on December 23, 1955. Although snow is very rare in the coastal lowlands, 4.0 inches fell in San Gregorio on January 21, 1962.

January is the coolest month with an average high of 60.1° and an average low of 40.3°. September is the warmest month with an average high of 72.5° and an average low of 49.3°. The highest temperature on record was 99° on October 5, 1987. The lowest temperature on record was 20° on December 20, 1998. Temperatures exceed 90° on an average of only 1.8 days, but have occurred in April, May, June, July, August, September, and October. Freezing temperatures (32°) or below are more common, occurring on an average of 13.1 days, and have been recorded in January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, and December.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Weather averages for San Gregorio, California
Avg high °F (°C)	60.1	60.3	60.2	62.1	63.8	67.1	69.9	71.1	72.5	70.5	64.8	60.7	65.2
Avg low °F (°C)	40.3	41.6	42.2	42.6	46.0	48.2	50.6	51.1	49.3	45.4	41.7	39.1	44.8
Precipitation, in (cm)	5.71	5.37	4.60	2.00	.85	.29	.11	.20	.41	1.67	3.93	4.36	29.52
Source: "Climatography of the United States," National Climatic Data Center (www.ncdc.noaa.gov)

[edit] History

San Gregorio itself was formerly a booming town in the 1850s when wealthy San Franciscans would travel to the San Gregorio House by stagecoach to enjoy recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, sea bathing, and boat races. The building still stands but is no longer a functioning hotel. However, the San Gregorio General Store has been thriving since 1889. It houses eclectic items for sale from kerosene lamps, to crazy hats, to beach mementos. Its bar serves sasparilla and hot chocolate as well as alcoholic beverages, and is frequented by local musicians. The pottery shop next door shows local artwork. Recently, it has become a favorite among filmmakers looking for a "funky" historical backdrop.