What to Wear in San Francisco
USA · 8 monthly packing guides
San Francisco is the city where summer is the coldest season. The famously misattributed Mark Twain quote ('the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco') exists because June Gloom, No-Sky July, and 'Fogust' are all real. Layers are not 'extra' here — they're infrastructure. Microclimates shift block to block: foggy in the Richmond, sunny in the Mission, ten degrees apart.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 7°C / 45°F in January; average highs reach 22°C / 72°F in July.
Compare San Francisco by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | 7°C / 45°F | 14°C / 57°F | 11 | 9h 50m |
| May packing guide | 11°C / 52°F | 19°C / 66°F | 3 | 14h 15m |
| June packing guide | 12°C / 54°F | 21°C / 70°F | 1 | 14h 45m |
| July packing guide | 13°C / 55°F | 22°C / 72°F | 0 | 14h 30m |
| August packing guide | 14°C / 57°F | 22°C / 72°F | 1 | 13h 45m |
| October packing guide | 12°C / 54°F | 22°C / 72°F | 3 | 11h 10m |
| November packing guide | 9°C / 48°F | 18°C / 64°F | 7 | 10h 10m |
| December packing guide | 7°C / 45°F | 15°C / 59°F | 11 | 9h 35m |
Choose your San Francisco packing list
San Francisco in January: 14°C / 57°F afternoons, 7°C / 45°F mornings, rain on about 11 days and dry weather on the other 20.
In this capsule: Dark teal hooded rain shell, hip length; Charcoal cable-knit roll-neck; Rust wide-wale cord overshirt.
SF in May: 19°C / 66°F afternoons, 11°C / 52°F mornings, 3 rain days — the warm-up to the coldest summer in the US.
In this capsule: Wind-resistant trench or light parka; Hoodie or cashmere cardigan; Merino long-sleeve tee or fitted sweater.
SF in June is June Gloom: 21°C / 70°F afternoons, 12°C / 54°F mornings, near-daily fog over Sunset, Richmond, and Ocean Beach.
In this capsule: Camel harrington jacket; Cream crew-neck sweatshirt; Merino long-sleeve tee.
SF in July: 22°C / 72°F afternoons, 13°C / 55°F mornings, 0 rain days — but Pacific wind makes 22°C / 72°F feel 16°C / 61°F.
In this capsule: Trench coat or lightweight parka; Cashmere cardigan (the workhorse); Merino long-sleeve + one short-sleeve tee.
SF in August IS 'Fogust': 22°C / 72°F afternoons, 14°C / 57°F mornings, peak marine-layer — the coldest 'summer' month in the US.
In this capsule: Dark navy coach jacket; Heather grey knit cardigan (year-round SF piece); Light grey sheer long-sleeve top.
San Francisco in October: 22°C / 72°F afternoons against 12°C / 54°F mornings, 3 rain days, and the summer fog finally gone.
In this capsule: Sand waxed-cotton barn coat with a dark brown corduroy collar; Light heather grey fine-gauge crew knit; Blue-and-white striped oversized oxford.
San Francisco in November: 18°C / 64°F afternoons, 9°C / 48°F mornings — and the rain finally arriving, on 7 days against October's 3.
In this capsule: Navy cotton-gabardine trench, mid-thigh; Ivory chunky lambswool crew; Indigo cotton chambray shirt.
San Francisco in December: 15°C / 59°F afternoons, 7°C / 45°F nights, 11 rain days, and the wettest month of the year at SFO.
In this capsule: Stone cotton mackintosh, single-breasted, knee length; Grey herringbone Harris tweed jacket, two buttons; Heather-oat cashmere crew.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- May: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- June: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- July: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- August: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- October: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- November: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
- December: NOAA · San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · 1991–2020 normals
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 8 published guides cover January, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at 7°C / 45°F, while July has the highest average high at 22°C / 72°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.