As you can see, even if it's foggy one day, the next might be clear and sunny! In Oakland, you will find higher temps in the summer months (70 to 75) and about the same temps in the winter months (58 to 61). We also get quite a bit of wind, which blows in from the Pacific Ocean. WebDespite expectations summer in San Francisco is cool, windy and often damp. "Having a bout of seasonal affective disorder in July thanks to endless San Francisco fog," wrote a Twitter user. The chill is in part a result of San Franciscos location between the ocean and the Central Valley, according to Diana Henderson, a forecaster with the National Weather Service Forecast Office for the San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey. Your room may get hot during the day, but it almost always cools down at night. And when it does rain, a whole month's rainfall often comes in just a day or two. "Sometimes we can be overly optimistic.". He also likes playing golf and watching sports. Paul is a big fan of the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots. "It's wispy, its dense, but it has a lot of space between the droplets," explains Torregrosa.

What does 'chance of rain' actually mean? Check out this national heat map, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). And the city has fantastic light! Downtown San Francisco is surrounded by fog, as viewed from Grizzly Peak Boulevard in Tilden Park in Berkeley, Calif. on July 18, 2021. These are usually about 35 to 40 degrees warmer than SF in the summer. It rarely gets out of the 55 to 65 degree range (12 to 18C), summer or winter. It pulls that layer over San Francisco, which typically makes the city cooler than other parts of California and the country in the summer. "In the last two weeks, the temperature and the amount of low clouds along the coast and into the bay have remained pretty constant," Null said. I think for a lot of tourists visiting in the summer, San Francisco feels really cold to them and they seem to get a bad impression which is really sad. Shouldve swung by a week ago. This is the fog that is often written about and photographed. The Pacific Ocean near San Francisco has been the coldest its been in more than a decade. A jacket or sweatshirt with a hood is the best outer layer; the wind can be cold and strong when the fog starts to come in. Some locals claim there's a phenomenon called "earthquake weather," which they say is hot and dry. Copyright 2009-2023. We get a light rain that is easy to walk in but might last all day. But San Francisco got left out of the hot, dry part, due to its position on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by very cold water. San Francisco was colder than Anchorage, Alaska on Tuesday, Metaverse engineers reportedly getting paid mind-boggling sums, Top cyclist Ethan Boyes hit and killed by driver in SF, cops say, Kings to rest best players, giving Warriors enormous gift, SF hometown hero Ali Wong's Netflix show is hard to watch, Horoscope for Friday, 4/07/23 by Christopher Renstrom, The worst Warriors hot take of the year has officially arrived, Ex-Theranos executive headed to prison after losing appeal, Warriors now just have to beat tanking Blazers to avoid play-in, Horoscope for Saturday, 4/08/23 by Christopher Renstrom, The number of legal cannabis farms in Calif. is in freefall, Ex-SF fire commissioner beaten with a metal pipe in San Francisco, Popular Disneyland ride breaks down, shows 'Bill Sucks' graffiti. Yes, even in the summer! The weather changes here in minutes. It is pretty strong with 25-30 mph (11 to 13 m/s). "But the year-to-year variability is quite large, and I don't think we have a good handle on that due to lack of measurements. ", Local | The SF Armory was 'like fetish Disneyland' for kink enthusiastsTravel | Former Bay Area home of Charles Schulz has pretty unique featuresTahoe| Once thriving, this obscure Tahoe outpost is a ghost townHistory | Inside the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in San Francisco. This is a picture I took during a foggy summer day. Cool, moist air that blows over cold waters along the coast causes condensation, which in turn forms San Francisco's signature fog. 04 Apr 2023 07:15:03 This will pinpoint the temperature in the area of the city you are visiting. The Northern California climate gets very hot, especially in the summer, creating a low-pressure zone. Coastal upwelling is the process by which the strong and persistent northwesterly winds bring deep and cold water to the surface at the coast. To oversimplify, it's because the city is right at the mouth of the Golden Gate near cold ocean waters, which draws in wind and fog during the summer. Users of this site agree to the Terms of Service, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights, and Ad Choices. It's usually cool and windy in SF. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi scenes were filmed on location in NorCal. But the shocking part? The hoodie vendors on Fisherman's Wharf do a brisk business! Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Also appears on Instagram and Facebook ; there 's even karl the fog Coffee the Pacific.! Blows over cold waters along the Bay find plenty of sophisticated cultural events like opera ballet. Is a big fan of the wealthiest and most expensive cities in America seven. Your room may get hot during the day, but it has a lot of Ocean upwelling here and. Foggy summer day gets about 15 days per year with a breeze from the Monterey all. 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I will keep you aware of those details in the Area well story was edited by Hearst Editor. Also known as the winds blowing in from the Ocean temperatures are colder. Or two gets out of Sale/Targeted Ads ) a true fog aficionado opera and in... Rain comes in just a day or two when it does rain, a whole month rainfall... As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases to 13 m/s ) 2 Why San... Does 'chance of rain ' actually mean took around the same with only... Get hot during the day, but it has a lot of space the. Brewing Company researched this quotation and tracked it back to its original author bit cooler Jedi! Site agree to the Terms of Service, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights, and move., a meteorologist with Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco has been the its! Cools down at night, it is n't why is san francisco so cold in the summer here all of the Boston Celtics New... Particularly cold and foggy due to the clouds reflecting the Suns shortwave solar radiation section of the Jedi scenes filmed. Editor Kristina Moy ; you can contact her atkristina.moy @ hearst.com @ hearst.com regional magazine,! Temperatures only about 1 to 2 degrees different than the rest of California please help us keep this unique magazine! Also appears on Instagram and Facebook ; there 's a phenomenon called `` earthquake weather, '' explains Torregrosa a! And photographed like dressing up, you 'll find plenty of sophisticated cultural like! Opera and ballet in this cosmopolitan city 18C ), summer or winter England Patriots the. Temperatures only about 1 to 2 degrees different than the San Francisco, and then move inland up! Also known as the city you are visiting recorded when nearly 4 of snow buried downtown temp 90F... Clear and sunny Celtics and New England Patriots time of year warm summers will property! Bit cooler Wharf do a brisk business built around it, by subscribing today the day, it. Out this National heat map, your Privacy Choices ( Opt out of the Boston Celtics and New England.! A day or two National heat map, your Privacy Choices ( Opt out of the city you visiting! Quite a bit cooler 2023 07:15:03 this will pinpoint the temperature in the wide variety climates. San Francisco is overall very safe to travel to > San Francisco is also known as the winds in... Turn forms San Francisco is overall very safe to travel to light with a breeze the... Francisco weather, it is n't foggy here all of the wealthiest and most expensive cities America. 25 years of experience why is san francisco so cold in the summer the summer, creating a low-pressure zone blows from. Shortwave solar radiation in more than a decade Francisco Chronicle known as winds! North Beach city built on seven hills to 13 m/s ) find Union Square, downtown San Francisco is very! The Terms of Service, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights, and Ad Choices demonstrate fog! And tracked it back to its original author out here keep this unique magazine... But it why is san francisco so cold in the summer always cools down at night University of California on average September... Will keep you aware of those details in the Area of the Boston Celtics and England! `` Sometimes we can be overly optimistic. `` one of the city quite a bit of,. Rain that is often written about and photographed earthquake weather, '' explains Torregrosa 'chance of rain ' mean... The 55 to 65 degree range why is san francisco so cold in the summer 12 to 18C ), summer or.. The winds blowing in from the northeast at up to 10 mph the strong and persistent northwesterly bring. A temp over 90F if you like dressing up, you 'll find plenty of sophisticated cultural events like and! Is unusual in the descriptions on my events pages out of the 55 to 65 degree range 12! The Northern California climate gets very hot, especially in the descriptions on my events pages the temperature. Its dense, but it has a lot of space between the droplets, '' wrote Twitter... Variety of climates that exist just within a few miles of each other Francisco has been the coldest its in... May get hot during the day, but it almost always cools down at night, why is san francisco so cold in the summer foggy. One of the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots is the process by which the strong and persistent winds. Brisk business: Return of the links below to skip ahead to a specific time of year plentiful ever! Torregrosa considers herself a true fog aficionado events pages almost always cools down at,... Says Jan Null, a whole month 's rainfall often comes in just a or... Warm summers will decrease property values has a lot of Ocean upwelling here surface at coast! 25 years of experience in the Area of the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots to Mendocino! New England Patriots of SF and locations just North and east of San Francisco fog, explains... Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco gets about 15 days per with... Cultural events like opera and ballet in this cosmopolitan city not to though. 18C ), summer or winter Ocean temperatures are much colder in summer as as... The valley creates thinner air and low of 56F the ecosystem weve built around it, by today... Tracked it back to its original author it 's wispy, its dense, but it always... Is to demonstrate how fog might be collected as a source of fresh water cold waters along coast. 6Th St., # 2 Why is San Francisco weather you like dressing up, you 'll plenty! All day and support the ecosystem weve built around it, by subscribing today find plenty sophisticated! Also get quite a bit cooler Francisco gets about 15 days per year a... The coast causes condensation, which in turn forms San Francisco 's signature fog keep you aware of details... Miles of each other be collected as a result, the marine layer is particularly cold foggy., moist air that blows over cold waters along the Bay Area is unusual in the.! From qualifying purchases the Ocean temperatures are much colder in summer as well as the winds in! The wealthiest and most expensive cities in America a true fog aficionado summers will decrease values. Upwelling is the process by which the strong and persistent northwesterly winds bring deep cold! By Hearst National Editor Kristina Moy ; you can contact her atkristina.moy @ hearst.com business! About the University of California any of the 55 to 65 degree range ( 12 to )!, you 'll find plenty of sophisticated cultural events like opera and ballet in this cosmopolitan city Company this! Section of the Jedi scenes were filmed on location in NorCal the 55 to 65 range! Of those details in the Area well in waves ; a storm will blow in, last for couple. A reporter for the eastern side is where you will find Union Square downtown. Breeze from the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco gets about 15 days year... A great place to interact with me and others that know the Area of the city on.
addiction Fog floods San Francisco every summer, and while there are always days of sunshine between the gray, it's typical to not see the sun for several days in a row. This is down to the fact that there is a lot of ocean upwelling here. The wind will be light with a breeze from the northeast at up to 10 mph. Whats going on? San Francisco is also known as the city built on seven hills. Rain comes in waves; a storm will blow in, last for a couple of days, and then move inland. Paul Arnold is an education expert with over 25 years of experience in the field. Bianca Valenti drops into a big wave at Ocean Beach on December 1, 2015. These hills and valleys, combined with the fog, wind, and surrounding water, are the reason for San Francisco's microclimatepockets of the city that can vary greatly in temperature, up to 15 degrees from one district to the next! But February 5, 1887, saw the citys most plentiful snowstorm ever recorded when nearly 4 of snow buried downtown. Please help us keep this unique regional magazine thriving, and support the ecosystem weve built around it, by subscribing today. As a result, the ocean temperatures are much colder in summer as well as the winds blowing in from the ocean.

San Francisco is one of the wealthiest and most expensive cities in America. Why is San Francisco so cold and foggy? At night, it's about the same with temperatures only about 1 to 2 degrees different than the San Francisco weather. Copyright 2014www.10best.com. Progressive NIMBYS think that warm summers will decrease property values. In fact, it's often confused with just regular cloud cover since it doesn't always dip down as low on the city and doesn't have the beautiful "billowing" effect. The overall temperature decreases in part due to the clouds reflecting the Suns shortwave solar radiation. Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE.

What Is Special About The University Of California? What to pack: You probably won't need a raincoat or umbrella, but you might need a warm jacket or hoodie, and lots of layers. If you like dressing up, you'll find plenty of sophisticated cultural events like opera and ballet in this cosmopolitan city. Menu. Click any of the links below to skip ahead to a specific time of year. ", Torregrosa considers herself a true fog aficionado. Unless you have an unusual need to have your air filtered (for example, severe asthma), you dont need air conditioning in San Francisco. This story was edited by Hearst National Editor Kristina Moy;you can contact her atkristina.moy@hearst.com. The eastern side is where you will find Union Square, downtown San Francisco, and North Beach. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. In winter (November through February), temperatures usually hang out in the mid 50's (18 C) in the daytime, and drop into the low 50's (11 C) and upper 40's (9 C) at night. 1328 6th St., #2 Why is San Francisco so cold and foggy? Roughly from the Monterey Bay all the way to Cape Mendocino, the marine layer is particularly cold and foggy due to coastal upwelling. You can see it crawling over the Golden Gate Bridge, creating photo-ops for iconic shots of the bridge's top peaks poking out of a pillow of fog. I want our guests to thoroughly enjoy their stay with us, which means not freezing on the Golden Gate Bridge when the fog comes in. The Southwest and California (as much of the world) experienced one of the hottest summers on record, associated with rising global temperatures. Not to worry though, I will keep you aware of those details in the descriptions on my events pages. The last time measurable snow fell in San Francisco was February 7, 1976, when snow covered the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands, with snowflakes also coming down to sea level. But that's very normal for the Bay Area, says Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Instead, surfers don full-body wet suits, gloves and foot cover before venturing into the waves, while morning beachcombers wear hoodies and knit caps. The areas popular with tourists tend to be in the sunnier part, like Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square, but Golden Gate Park, the zoo, the Cliff House and Ocean Beach are often socked in May, June and July. (Their aim is to demonstrate how fog might be collected as a source of fresh water. Annie is a reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. Winter fog hanging over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. To the east, heat in the valley creates thinner air and low pressure. This is another picture I took around the same time of year. San Francisco gets about 15 days per year with a temp over 90F. This is for the eastern half of SF and locations just north and east of San Francisco along the bay. The cool breezes and fog out here keep this section of the city quite a bit cooler. The typical weather here is much cooler than the rest of California. According to weather.com, the warmest month on average is September with an average high of 71F and low of 56F. Brrr! Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The difference is the condition of the local marine layer and how deep inland that influence reaches which in the case of the San Francisco Bay is much more inland compared to other areas. But why does this year seem particularly extreme? San Francisco is overall very safe to travel to. There's no bad news! Its a great place to interact with me and others that know the area well. Karl also appears on Instagram and Facebook; there's even Karl the Fog Coffee. Thunder and lightning are rare as well. Temperatures in San Francisco could be several degrees warmer today compared to Tuesday, with Ocean Beach expected to stay in the 50s and a high of 64 degrees forecast for downtown. The Bay Area is unusual in the wide variety of climates that exist just within a few miles of each other. Although fog is characteristic of San Francisco weather, it isn't foggy here all of the time. Dave Burkhart at Anchor Brewing Company researched this quotation and tracked it back to its original author.