San Francisco in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), San Francisco sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 126 mm of rain over about 13 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is San Francisco's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see San Francisco's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 126 mm
- 13 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in San Francisco in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical winter day in San Francisco reaches about 30°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in San Francisco
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
San Francisco weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30° / 21° | 26 | 3.2 | 11.2 | 5.8 |
| Feb | 31° / 22° | 23 | 2.8 | 11.5 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 32° / 23° | 29 | 4 | 11.9 | 4.4 |
| Apr | 34° / 24° | 30 | 6.6 | 12.3 | 3.2 |
| May | 34° / 25° | 153 | 19 | 12.7 | 2.2 |
| Jun | 33° / 25° | 200 | 24.3 | 12.9 | 2.3 |
| Jul | 31° / 25° | 330 | 28.5 | 12.8 | 2.4 |
| Aug | 31° / 25° | 299 | 28.6 | 12.5 | 2.4 |
| Sep | 31° / 24° | 292 | 27.3 | 12.1 | 2.5 |
| Oct | 31° / 24° | 183 | 18.5 | 11.7 | 3.4 |
| Nov | 31° / 23° | 86 | 9.6 | 11.3 | 4.5 |
| Dec | 30° / 22° | 77 | 6.6 | 11.1 | 5.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
San Francisco gets around 126 mm of rain over 13 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 7 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min in early December to 11 h 42 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for San Francisco
In winter, San Francisco overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
San Francisco sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
San Francisco's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit San Francisco?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit San Francisco for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for San Francisco in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, San Francisco sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 13 days see rain.
UV index in San Francisco in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in San Francisco peaks around March 24 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 21 at about 8 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in San Francisco in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in San Francisco is worst in October — around 49 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 33 | 32 | 36 | 39 | 42 | 46 | 42 | 41 | 49 | 49 | 39 | 33 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | Moderate |
| Feb | 32 | Moderate |
| Mar | 36 | Poor |
| Apr | 39 | Poor |
| May | 42 | Poor |
| Jun | 46 | Poor |
| Jul | 42 | Poor |
| Aug | 41 | Poor |
| Sep | 49 | Poor |
| Oct | 49 | Poor |
| Nov | 39 | Poor |
| Dec | 33 | Moderate |
Where is San Francisco?
San Francisco sits at 15.4°N, 120.8°E, 21 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Papaya, 4.0 km away.
Topography around San Francisco
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of San Francisco.
Within 3 km, the terrain around San Francisco has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 18 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,021 m.
The land around San Francisco is covered by cropland (81%) within 3 km, cropland (78%) within 16 km, and trees (47%) and cropland (31%) within 80 km.
Philippines travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 230 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 33% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,171
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 48%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 4.3
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 569
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for San Francisco (15.3557°, 120.84°, elevation 21 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.