San Francisco (CA) Sunshine Hours by Month
Sunshine plays a big role in understanding the climate of a city. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in San Francisco, California, United States of America. The numbers reflect climate data gathered over a 30-year period, from 1990 to 2020.
Monthly hours of sunshine
Seasonal sunshine in San Francisco varies. It peaks at 324 hours in May and drops to 160 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 3058 hours.
Daily hours of sunshine
Seasonal changes in sunshine hours are quite obvious in San Francisco. While May receives considerable daily sunshine with up to 10.8 hours, December marks the darkest time of the year, where sunshine is scarce with only 5.3 hours of sunlight per day.
Average percent of sunshine
On average the sun shines 78% of the time during the day in April, the highest percentage of any month. December has the lowest percentage at 54%.
San Francisco vs Major Cities: Sunshine Compared
San Francisco enjoys an average of 3058 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:
The city of Rome, Italy, experiences 2470 hours of sunshine annually, adding to its charm as a year-round tourist destination.
In contrast, Reykjavík, Iceland, receives only about 1330 hours of sunshine per year, known for its frequently overcast and rainy skies.
Osaka, Japan, experiences 2010 hours of sunshine annually, with bright, sunny weather in spring and autumn.
Adelaide, Australia, enjoys 2770 hours of sunshine annually, with long, sunny summers.
Related Climate Data for San Francisco
December, San Francisco’s wettest month, receives 3.4 mm (0.1 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 14°C (57°F). During the driest month July you can expect a temperature of 22°C (72°F).
For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our San Francisco Precipitation page.
