Best time to visit San Francisco: month-by-month weather (2026)
The highest-scoring months in San Francisco are May, Jun, Jul and Aug.
Best months
May, Jun, Jul and Aug
Peak season
May, Jun, Jul and Aug
Off season
Jan, Feb and Dec
Monthly Temperatures (°C)
Monthly Rainfall (mm)
Month-by-Month Guide
Temperature, rainfall and sunshine are measured. The visit score below is derived from those three (design spec §5.3)estimate.
Jan
Temp: 7.8°C – 14.2°C
Rain: 146mm
Sunshine: 6.9h/day
Visit score: 4.4/10
Feb
Temp: 7.5°C – 13.8°C
Rain: 133mm
Sunshine: 7.5h/day
Visit score: 4.5/10
Mar
Temp: 8.6°C – 14.2°C
Rain: 149mm
Sunshine: 9.1h/day
Visit score: 4.7/10
Apr
Temp: 9.4°C – 15.8°C
Rain: 14mm
Sunshine: 11.6h/day
Visit score: 6.5/10
May
BestTemp: 11.1°C – 17.6°C
Rain: 19mm
Sunshine: 12.7h/day
Visit score: 8.5/10
Jun
BestTemp: 12°C – 18.2°C
Rain: 0mm
Sunshine: 13.1h/day
Visit score: 8.5/10
Jul
BestTemp: 13°C – 19.1°C
Rain: 0mm
Sunshine: 12.4h/day
Visit score: 8.5/10
Aug
BestTemp: 13.9°C – 20.7°C
Rain: 1mm
Sunshine: 11.9h/day
Visit score: 8.5/10
Sep
Temp: 14.3°C – 20.8°C
Rain: 4mm
Sunshine: 10.7h/day
Visit score: 8.5/10
Oct
Temp: 13.1°C – 21.9°C
Rain: 19mm
Sunshine: 9.5h/day
Visit score: 8.5/10
Nov
Temp: 10.2°C – 16.8°C
Rain: 104mm
Sunshine: 7.9h/day
Visit score: 4.6/10
Dec
Temp: 8.6°C – 14.3°C
Rain: 148mm
Sunshine: 6.3h/day
Visit score: 4.2/10
When to go, and when not to
The best months to visit are May through August, when sunshine hours peak at around 12 to 13 hours a day and rainfall drops to nearly nothing, with highs settling in the high teens to low twenties Celsius and lows in the low to mid teens. This combination of long daylight, dry conditions, and mild temperatures makes these months the most reliable for outdoor sightseeing and walking around the city's hills and waterfront.
The trade-off is that May through August is also peak season, so lodging and overall costs tend to run higher and popular spots draw more visitors. The wettest and least sunny months are January, February, and December, each bringing well over 100mm of rain and sunshine dropping to around six to seven hours a day, which makes them the off season but also the least predictable for outdoor plans.
Season Guide
Spring
March – May
Mild temperatures and blooming gardens. A great time for sightseeing with fewer crowds than summer.
Packing tips
- · Light layers
- · Rain jacket
- · Comfortable walking shoes
Summer
June – August
Warmest months with the longest days. Peak tourist season in most destinations.
Packing tips
- · Sunscreen
- · Hat
- · Light clothing
- · Refillable water bottle
Autumn
September – November
Cooling temperatures and autumn foliage. Shoulder season with good deals on accommodations.
Packing tips
- · Medium layers
- · Sweater
- · Waterproof jacket
Winter
December – February
Coldest months with shorter days. Holiday markets and winter activities in many cities.
Packing tips
- · Warm coat
- · Scarf and gloves
- · Thermal layers
- · Waterproof boots
Keep reading
Sources
- GeoNames city database — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 14, 2026
- Open-Meteo climate archive — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 21, 2026
AI-written interpretation reviewed against the data above — claude-sonnet-5, generated September 21, 2026. Every number on this page comes from a dataset named here; the formulas are public.