San Francisco (CA) Weather and Climate: A Comprehensive Guide
San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate which means warm and dry summers with mild winters. It's the perfect city in the US to visit in autumn or early spring. Most rain is seen from November until March, but with more than 150 hours of sunshine you could still consider visiting San Francisco during those months.
In winter the evening temperatures can drop, but almost never below freezing.
Average maximum day and minimum night temperature
In San Francisco, seasonal changes bring about a moderate variation in temperatures. Typically, average maximum daytime temperatures range from a comfortable 23°C in September to a moderate 14°C in the coolest month, January.
Nights are cooler, with lows often dropping to around 7°C during the colder months. Check out our detailed temperature page for more information.Temperature ranges by month
Precipitation and rainy days
San Francisco typically sees modest rainfall throughout the year, with an average annual precipitation of 469 mm. The climate in San Francisco shows significant variation throughout the year. Expect high rainfall in December, with an average of 112 mm of precipitation over 13 rainy days. In contrast, July offers drier and sunnier days, with around 0.4 mm of rainfall over a single rainy day. For more details, please visit our San Francisco Precipitation page.The mean monthly precipitation over the year, including rain, hail and snow
The average number of days each month with precipitation
Sunshine over the year
For those who appreciate different seasons, San Francisco serves as an ideal destination. Expect longer, more sun-filled days in May with an average of 10.8 hours of sunshine daily, and embrace the darker days in December, offering only 5.3 hours of daily sunlight. Visit our detailed sunshine hours page for more information.Monthly hours of sunshine
Daily hours of sunshine
Daily percentage of sunshine
Average water temperature
The mean water temperature over the year ranges from 12°C in January to 14°C in June.
Water temperature over the year
Average humidity
The relative humidity is high throughout the year in San Francisco.
The city experiences its highest humidity in January, reaching 80%. In June, the humidity drops to its lowest level at 71%. Explore our detailed page on humidity levels for further details.
Relative humidity over the year
Average wind speed
The average wind speed over the year ranges from 3 m/s to 7 m/s. It is lower in January, November and December and higher in June and July.
The mean monthly wind speed over the year (meters per second)
broken clouds and slight rain broken clouds and chance of rain overcast and chance of slight rainForecast for San Francisco (CA)
5 m/s
5 m/s
4 m/s
The best time of year to visit San Francisco in the United States of America
During the months of June, July, August, September and October you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20°C and 26°C.Other facts from our historical weather data:
Yes, the months of May, June, July, August and September are very dry.
September has an average maximum temperature of 23°C and is the warmest month of the year.
The coldest month is December with an average maximum temperature of 14°C.
December tops the wettest month list with 112 mm of rainfall.
July is the driest month with 0 mm of precipitation.
May is the sunniest month with an average of 324 hours of sunshine.
No idea where to travel to this year? We have a tool that recommends destinations based on your ideal conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.
