San FranciscoPhoto: Dale Cruse · CC BY 2.0USA · North America
Best time to visit San Francisco
San Francisco is remarkably cool for California: summers are dry but often foggy and windy, autumn is warmest and clearest, and winters are mild and rainy. Always bring a jacket.
Climate decision
Best travel months for San Francisco
Top recommendation
Next highest scores
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Latest 5-year values 2021–2025
Average of the five most recent complete years compared with the 1991–2025 climate average.
February · Wet days
7.4 days/month
1991–2025: 10.3 days/month
-2.9 days/month · lower
April · Monthly precipitation
16.3 mm/month
1991–2025: 36.7 mm/month
-20.5 mm/month · lower
May · Mean daily maximum
20.1 °C
1991–2025: 19.2 °C
+0.9 °C · higher
May · Sunshine per day
9.6 h/day
1991–2025: 9 h/day
+0.6 h/day · higher
September · Sea temperature
15.6 °C
1991–2025: 14.5 °C
+1.1 °C · higher
September: 11/150 days at or above 30 °C; highest single value 38 °C.
Five-year historical sample, not a weather forecast or long-term climate trend. Individual hot days can be far above the monthly mean.
Annual profile · Rainfall rhythm
San Francisco: rainfall separates the travel months
The driest and wettest months are 11.5 rainy days apart. Average daily highs vary by 10.6 °C, so both signals matter when choosing a month.
What matters
A warmer month is not automatically the most reliable. Read the drier windows alongside sunshine, sea temperature and the activity you have in mind.
Fewest rainy days
July · 0.1
Most rainy days
December · 11.6
Most sunshine
June · 10.1 h
Warmest sea
September · 14.5 °C
Month by month
Overall suitability per month. Tap a month for details.
All climate figures compared
The table is the complete accessible data view; the charts below highlight selected patterns.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Rain mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Sea °C | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14 | 6 | 11 | 117 | 2.8 | 84 | 2.1 | 12 | 37 |
| February | 14 | 7 | 10 | 113 | 4.1 | 83 | 2.3 | 12 | 43 |
| March | 16 | 8 | 10 | 85 | 5.7 | 82 | 2.3 | 12 | 48 |
| April | 17 | 8 | 6 | 37 | 7.7 | 80 | 2.4 | 11 | 61 |
| May | 19 | 10 | 3 | 20 | 9.0 | 78 | 2.5 | 12 | 68 |
| June | 22 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 10.1 | 74 | 2.5 | 12 | 74 |
| July | 23 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 10.0 | 74 | 2.3 | 14 | 77 |
| August | 24 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 8.8 | 73 | 2.3 | 14 | 79 |
| September | 24 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 7.2 | 70 | 2.0 | 15 | 80 |
| October | 22 | 12 | 4 | 33 | 5.2 | 70 | 1.9 | 14 | 76 |
| November | 17 | 9 | 7 | 65 | 3.5 | 77 | 2.0 | 13 | 55 |
| December | 14 | 7 | 12 | 130 | 2.5 | 82 | 2.2 | 12 | 36 |
Climate through the year
Compare temperature, rainy days, sunshine and, for coastal destinations, sea temperature month by month.
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Where to stay in San Francisco
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The number is the overall climate score, not a similarity score.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit San Francisco?
The strongest climate months are July, August, September, October. Values are historical averages, not a forecast.
Which month has the highest average daily maximum temperature in San Francisco?
The average daily maximum temperature in San Francisco is highest in September at around 24 °C.
When is the sea warmest at San Francisco?
In September, at around 15 °C.