Mendocino enjoys a delightful yearlong climate. Some expectations are in order.
Summer - can alternate between warm and bracing - and sometimes in the course of hours or even minutes! You see, Mendocino like coastal areas everywhere is at the mercy of the fog. The mysterious fog is always nearby, and can arrive and depart quickly, often resulting in a change of temperatures of 15 degrees! A light jacket or pullover tied around the waist or slung over the shoulders is a welcome companion during the summer months.
Autumn - dry and warm. Generally our warmest and most reliable weather although not perhaps our most botanically colorful.
Winter - If you will be visiting the Joshua Grindle Inn during the winter season, you will find this part of California is rural and spectacularly scenic, but, unfortunately, when the "rough weather" hits, we are often confused with less accessible, more easily flooded areas of the coast, or with those whose highway access is more likely to be difficult or troublesome for extended periods of time.
For instance, during the winter of 1994-1995, while the Russian River and the rivers of the Napa Valley were at flood stage and generally inaccessible, the Mendocino Village was really "high and dry" (and pretty cozy, comfortable and romantic) except for some intermittent power outages and short-term road closures that seldom lasted even a full day.Thus, our amicable advice is this: SIMPLY CALL US BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME, should you have any concern at all about arriving here safely. DON'T ASSUME THE WORST (ASSUME THE BEST!!!) Call us at 1-800-GRINDLE and we will have weather and road condition information for you. You might also try the Winter Road Conditions Hotline at 1-800-427-7623 for information on specific routes. You can also consult the "weather widgets" below and/or click here to view a current weather page. As well, the Chamber of Commerce will be glad to answer any questions at 1-800-726-2780.
Winter can be a unique and wondrous experience on the coast and we are looking forward to sharing it with you.
Springtime - brings a cessation of rains, a return of prevalent sunshine, and temperatures while moderate, will feel much colder due to sometimes high winds. A layered approach to outerwear is indicated.
Please drive carefully and stay warm and dry. We'll see you soon!
