San Francisco Weather and Tips to Prepare for Your Trip

This section is an insider's look at the San Francisco weather. Exact San Francisco tourist info on the weather here is hard to find, so I wrote this section to help you prepare for your trip.

San Francisco is an amazing city any time of the year. However, there are certain times of the year when the weather makes it a perfect time to visit.

The weather here is a little different than most of California. It stays pretty cool most of the year. Once you leave the city, then it begins to warm up and/or cool down based on the time of year you visit.

Finding an Accurate San Francisco Weather Forecast

Looking at the weather for San Francisco online is a little deceiving. You need to make sure you select a location that is directly in San Francisco for the most accurate forecast. If you are looking at the weather at SFO (which is the default location for most weather sites), it's going to show up warmer or cooler than the city itself. SFO is warmer in the summer and slightly cooler in the winter.

To get the most accurate San Francisco weather forecast, type in a specific zip code such as 94109 or 94115. This will pinpoint the temperature in the area of the city you are visiting. This will also give you a better idea of the temperature at the time you visit.

We refer to this difference in temperatures in the city and surrounding areas as micro climates. Since San Francisco is surrounded on three sides by water, the temperature is pretty mild all year around. The cool ocean water kicks off cool winds and fog, keeping the city at around 60 degrees all year around.

The San Francisco weather is foggiest when it's really warm in the surrounding areas. The warm air mixes with the cool ocean air which creates the fog. In most areas along the Pacific coast, the fog burns off in the early morning. San Francisco stays foggy during the day since we are surrounded by cool water on three sides. The air doesn't have time to fully warm up, making it foggy for most of the day.

When you arrive and watch the San Francisco weather forecast on TV there will be three different temperature ranges. I created this section to help you interpret the San Francisco weather forecast for the different areas once you are here.

Average monthly hights and lows in the city:

F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Highs	58	61	62	64	65	67	67	69	71	70	64	58
Lows	46	48	49	50	51	53	54	56	56	54	51	46

C	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Highs	14	16	17	18	18	19	19	20	22	21	18	14
Lows	8	9	9	10	11	12	12	13	13	12	11	8

Here is a more detailed month by month description of the San Francisco weather based on my experience living in the city:

September and October

Late September and through the month of October is the best time to visit San Francisco. During that time, the San Francisco weather is warm and sunny almost every day. The wind is also at a minimum and it's a very enjoyable time to be in San Francisco.

November – March

This time of year is considered our rainy season. Our rain is typically a nice light rain with some light wind. It's still a great time to come as the rain is usually not very heavy. It also only rains a few days each month, so you may not even encounter rain at all during your visit. Late December, January and February are the rainiest months.

April

April is usually a beautiful month in San Francisco. It's the change of seasons in the surrounding areas, so San Francisco is fairly warm and sunny. There is also little wind during this time and it's a great time to visit.

May

May is the start of our summer, which is usually cool and foggy. You can still catch a lot of great days in May, but the wind starts to pick up a little. It also starts to become a little foggy.

June - August

June, July and August are the foggiest months in San Francisco. It's usually foggy in the morning with some sun in the afternoon. The fog then rolls in again around 5 or 6pm.

This year, it's a little sunnier and warmer than last year. You never quite know what to expect, so the next two sections cover information on what to wear while you are here.

What to Wear

Most of the year, San Francisco is a cool and breezy 60 degrees. The mornings and evenings get a little chillier so it's best to come prepared.

Your best bet is to bring along layers of clothing. It's rarely cold enough for a heavy coat, but a light jacket, sweater and some short sleeved shirts should keep you at the right temperature. Pants are also your best option since it gets chilly at night.

San Francisco is also a great place to go sailing. This means that it's pretty windy most of the year. That's another reason that I recommend wearing pants for most of your stay.

Layering your clothing will prepare you for the cool air in San Francisco. It's also a great way to cool down when you run into warm areas in the city.

Shoes

Wear comfortable shoes…I can't stress this enough. Make sure you bring along plenty of comfortable shoes for your journey. San Francisco is a busy city which means you may need to stand on the bus or wait for a cab. You will enjoy your trip a lot more if you are always wearing comfortable shoes.

Most places in San Francisco are pretty casual. So, you can wear your comfy shoes to dinner and/or all day as you are out seeing the sites. The last thing you want is to have your feet hurting you during your visit.

I'll say it one more time...wear layers and comfortable shoes. This will make your trip to San Francisco more enjoyable!

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