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San Francisco, USA · Temperate oceanic

San Francisco: best months to visit

September (8.3/10) · December (4.2/10).

📅 Data updated: October 2026 🛰️ ERA5 · 10 years 📍 37.77°N · 122.42°W
⚡ Quick answer
September
Depends on your goals
8.3/10
☀️ Sep
Top score (8.3/10)
🌤️ Jun
Alt. (8.2/10)
Dec
Plus rude (4.2/10)
🌊 Seaside☀️ Bright🍴 Gastronomy
Photo par Will Truettner via Unsplash
Decide

When to visit San Francisco?

The decision rests on several criteria. Climate score, tourist crowds and feasible activities.

Verdict: In San Francisco, September and June clearly stand out. December concentrates the least favorable conditions.
Top & avoid
🏆 September · 8.3 June · 8.2 July · 8.2 August · 8.2 ⚠️ December · 4.2
4.4
Jan
4.4
Feb
4.5
Mar
7.5
Apr
7.8
May
8.2
Jun
8.2
Jul
8.2
Aug
8.3
Sep
8.0
Oct
7.3
Nov
4.2
Dec
Best period · ≥ 7 Decent period · 4 – 7 Tough conditions · < 4

What you grasp in 5 seconds

San Francisco offers 8 comfortable months, without any month really to avoid. The gap stays moderate: 8.3 in September vs 4.2 in December.

What to check next

Your tolerance for crowds and budget. The best months concentrate tourist saturation and higher prices. Shoulder seasons offer a good compromise.

Next action

Scroll down to the detailed table to compare month by month, then open the page of the month that interests you.

Compare the 12 months By your project

How we calculate the score

The score combines 4 weighted criteria using 10 years of real climate data (ERA5).

Source : ERA5 · Open-Meteo · 10 years (2016–2025) · Full methodology →

Understand

Compare all 12 months

Month-by-month details: temperature, rain, sunshine, score and verdict.

✅ 8 comfortable months (Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov)
MonthT° minT° maxRain %mm/daySunScoreVerdict
🌥️ January →46°F57°F26%4.1mm6.0h4.4/10Decent period
🌥️ February →46°F57°F23%3.4mm7.4h4.4/10Decent period
🌥️ March →48°F57°F26%3.3mm8.7h4.5/10Decent period
☀️ April →50°F59°F12%1.1mm10.3h7.5/10Best period
☀️ May →52°F61°F7%0.6mm10.5h7.8/10Best period
☀️ June →54°F64°F1%0.0mm10.4h8.2/10Best period
☀️ July →55°F64°F1%0.0mm10.1h8.2/10Best period
☀️ August →57°F66°F1%0.0mm9.3h8.2/10Best period
☀️ September →57°F68°F3%0.1mm9.0h8.3/10Best period
☀️ October →55°F66°F9%1.0mm8.0h8.0/10Best period
⛅ November →50°F61°F18%2.1mm5.8h7.3/10Best period
🌥️ December →46°F55°F25%4.3mm5.2h4.2/10Decent period
🌥️ January
4.4/10
T°46°F / 57°F
Rain %26%
Sun6.0h
Decent period
🌥️ February
4.4/10
T°46°F / 57°F
Rain %23%
Sun7.4h
Decent period
🌥️ March
4.5/10
T°48°F / 57°F
Rain %26%
Sun8.7h
Decent period
☀️ April
7.5/10
T°50°F / 59°F
Rain %12%
Sun10.3h
Best period
☀️ May
7.8/10
T°52°F / 61°F
Rain %7%
Sun10.5h
Best period
☀️ June
8.2/10
T°54°F / 64°F
Rain %1%
Sun10.4h
Best period
☀️ July
8.2/10
T°55°F / 64°F
Rain %1%
Sun10.1h
Best period
☀️ August
8.2/10
T°57°F / 66°F
Rain %1%
Sun9.3h
Best period
☀️ September
8.3/10
T°57°F / 68°F
Rain %3%
Sun9.0h
Best period
☀️ October
8.0/10
T°55°F / 66°F
Rain %9%
Sun8.0h
Best period
⛅ November
7.3/10
T°50°F / 61°F
Rain %18%
Sun5.8h
Best period
🌥️ December
4.2/10
T°46°F / 55°F
Rain %25%
Sun5.2h
Decent period
📊 Quick read
Optimal window
Apr → Nov
Good transition
Mar · Dec
Tough period
none
🌡️ Detailed conditions (September)
🌡️ Feel
Comfortable
☀️ UV
6.5 · Moderate-Strong
💧 Humidity feel
55°F · Dry
☔ Rain
3% · 0.1 mm/day
🌅 Sunshine
9.0h/day
Week by week

San Francisco week by week: your odds of avoiding rain

For each week of the year: in how many years out of 10 it was mostly dry (at most 2 rainy days), 2016 to 2025.

Safest week: Jun 11 to Jun 17, mostly dry in 10 years out of 10 (0.0 rainy day(s) on average).

Most exposed: Mar 5 to Mar 11, mostly dry in 5 years out of 10 (2.3 rainy days on average).

Number = years out of 10 with at most 2 rainy days in the week. Source: ERA5 reanalysis (ECMWF) via Open-Meteo, daily data 2016-2025. Rainy day = at least 1 mm, as everywhere on the site.
JanJan 17/1055°FJan 86/1057°FJan 156/1057°FJan 229/1057°FJan 297/1057°F
FebFeb 58/1059°FFeb 128/1059°FFeb 199/1057°FFeb 267/1058°F
MarMar 55/1058°FMar 126/1058°FMar 196/1059°FMar 269/1060°F
AprApr 26/1060°FApr 910/1060°FApr 169/1062°FApr 2310/1061°FApr 309/1063°F
MayMay 710/1063°FMay 148/1063°FMay 2110/1063°FMay 2810/1065°F
JunJun 410/1066°FJun 1110/1067°FJun 1810/1066°FJun 2510/1065°F
JulJul 210/1066°FJul 910/1066°FJul 1610/1066°FJul 2310/1065°FJul 3010/1066°F
AugAug 610/1066°FAug 1310/1069°FAug 2010/1068°FAug 2710/1069°F
SepSep 310/1070°FSep 1010/1068°FSep 179/1069°FSep 2410/1070°F
OctOct 110/1072°FOct 810/1067°FOct 159/1069°FOct 228/1067°FOct 299/1066°F
NovNov 59/1063°FNov 127/1062°FNov 197/1060°FNov 268/1058°F
DecDec 38/1058°FDec 106/1056°FDec 177/1056°FDec 245/1055°F

A specific date? The app computes the same figure day by day.

10-year trend

Annual temperatures — San Francisco

Min/max temperature curves observed over the past 10 years (ERA5). Shows climate stability and trend.

T° maxT° meanT° min46°50°54°57°61°64°68°201620172018201920202021202220232024202566°F — decade peak (2016)+-0.58°F / decade
Tailor

For your trip

A few angles depending on what kind of trip you are planning.

🏖️ Beaches: Jun-Sept🌊 Swell: Sept-Mar🚤 Water activities
Book

Plan your trip

Hotels at their lowest outside peak season, highest on comfortable months. Shoulder seasons offer a good price/climate compromise.

🏨
Stay
Hotels & rentals · San Francisco
Expedia →
🎟️
Activities
Tours, tickets, experiences
See ↓
✈️
Flights
Multi-airline comparator
Kiwi →

🎟️ Activities & tours · San Francisco

GetYourGuide selection · free cancellation

See all →
Affiliate link · GetYourGuide
Practical info

What you need to know before you go

Three angles: the country (language, currency, safety, budget), the year-round climate, and the specifics of a beach trip.

Country · USA

🗣️LanguageEnglish
💶CurrencyUS Dollar ($)
🚗DrivingRight-hand
🛡️Safety ⓘVery safe · 1/5
💰Cost of living ⓘExpensive · 4/5

🌡️ Climate

🌍Climate typeTemperate oceanic
📈Climate trend ⓘStable
🔥Hottest monthSeptember · 68°F
❄️Coolest monthDecember · 55°F
🌧️Rainiest month ⓘJanuary · 26%

🏖️ Beach trip

📅Peak seasonJuin → Sept
🏖️Swell (Sept–Mar) ⓘModérée
Explore

Related destinations & guides

If this destination doesn't fit your dates, here are alternatives and guides.

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Monterey · United States→Beirut · Lebanon→Milos · Greece→Samos · Greece→

Nearby destinations

Napa Valley · United States51 mi →Lake Tahoe · United States158 mi →Mammoth Mountain · United States189 mi →Santa Barbara · United States277 mi →

Guides & rankings

World ranking 2026See →
Best summer destinationsSee →
Winter sunSee →
Where to go in JulySee →
Location

Where is San Francisco ?

Global position + regional geographic context.

🌍 World
🔍 Geographic context
Temperate oceanic climate with a 8.3 → 4.2 gap between best and worst month. 10 years of ERA5 data to choose by project.
37.77°N · 122.42°W
Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit San Francisco?
September is the best month with 68°F highs, 57°F lows, 9.0h of sunshine and 3.0% rainy days. The months of September & June offer comparable conditions.
How many hours of sunshine does San Francisco get in September?
San Francisco averages 9.0 sunshine hours per day in September. It is the sunniest month with a climate score of 7.8/10.
What is the rainiest month in San Francisco?
January is the most unfavourable month with January has the lowest climate score of the year and the lowest climate score of the year.
What are the temperatures at night in San Francisco in September?
In September, overnight lows reach 57°F, while afternoon highs average 68°F.
Is San Francisco good in winter?
In winter (December-February), San Francisco scores 4.1/10 on average — Difficult period — prefer the peak season.. The best month overall remains September with a score of 7.8/10.
When should you avoid San Francisco?
January is the most difficult month to visit San Francisco, with January has the lowest climate score of the year. Climate conditions are at their lowest of the year during this period.