Winter
Dec → Feb14 to 16°
nights 8 to 9°
- 9 rainy days · 115 mm
When is the best time to visit San Francisco?
- Jan14°not recommended
- Feb16°not recommended
- Mar17°fair
- Apr17°recommended
- May18°recommended
- Jun19°fair
- Jul19°not recommended
- Aug20°fair
- Sep21°recommended
- Oct21°recommended
- Nov18°fair
- Dec14°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in San Francisco, month by month
The table of averages, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14° | 8° | 112 mm | 9 d | |
| February | 16° | 9° | 111 mm | 9 d | |
| March | 17° | 9° | 80 mm | 8 d | |
| April | 17° | 10° | 41 mm | 5 d | ✓ |
| May | 18° | 11° | 18 mm | 3 d | ✓ |
| June | 19° | 12° | 5 mm | 1 d | |
| July | 19° | 12° | 0 mm | 0 d | |
| August | 20° | 13° | 2 mm | 1 d | |
| September | 21° | 13° | 3 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| October | 21° | 12° | 24 mm | 3 d | ✓ |
| November | 18° | 10° | 66 mm | 6 d | |
| December | 14° | 8° | 121 mm | 9 d |
The four seasons in San Francisco, in figures
What the 2015-2024 averages (San Francisco Downtown) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May17 to 18°
nights 9 to 11°
- 5 rainy days · 46 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug19 to 20°
nights 12 to 13°
- 1 rainy days · 2 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov18 to 21°
nights 10 to 13°
- 3 rainy days · 31 mm
Book early for April to May and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in San Francisco, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 14h46 of daylight, in December 9h34, a difference of 5h12.
9h49Jan
10h44Feb
11h51Mar
13h08Apr
14h11May
14h46Jun
14h32Jul
13h36Aug
12h22Sep
11h08Oct
10h04Nov
9h34Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "San Francisco Downtown" (37.77°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in San Francisco, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long days |
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Sightseeing & walks: good conditions all twelve months.
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the climate averages (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended14°8° at night
- 112 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended16°9° at night
- 111 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair17°9° at night
- 80 mm · 8 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended17°10° at night
- 41 mm · 5 d
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended18°11° at night
- 18 mm · 3 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Fair19°12° at night
- 5 mm · 1 d
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended19°12° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
Low season, lower prices
August
Fair20°13° at night
- 2 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended21°13° at night
- 3 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended21°12° at night
- 24 mm · 3 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair18°10° at night
- 66 mm · 6 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended14°8° at night
- 121 mm · 9 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 14 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (112 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 16 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (111 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 17 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (80 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 17 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Rain stays light: 41 mm over 5 days. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (18 mm over 3 days). Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (5 mm over 1 day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (2 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (3 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (24 mm over 3 days). Busy season, without the crush.
November. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 66 mm over 6 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 14 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (121 mm). Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit San Francisco?
April to May and September to October: over these months, average highs range from 17 to 21 °C, with 3 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 averages, San Francisco Downtown).
Which month should you avoid in San Francisco?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 121 mm over 9 days of rain on average over 2015-2024 at the reference point (San Francisco Downtown).
What is the hottest month in San Francisco?
September, with 21 °C on average in the afternoon and 13 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (San Francisco Downtown).
What is the coldest month in San Francisco?
January, with 14 °C at best during the day and 8 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (San Francisco Downtown).
What is the driest month in San Francisco?
July: 0 mm over 0 days of rain, against 121 mm in December, the wettest month.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable San Francisco guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit the American West: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: An Errant Knight / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Dllu / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)