Weather in San Francisco in January
January in San Francisco is cool outdoor weather: usable if you dress for it, not a beach brief.
In United States, this is how San Francisco actually wears January, not how a country centroid would. January is the cold side of the year in San Francisco. Pack for that, not for a leftover summer photo.
- Average temp
- 11°C
7–14°C
- Rainfall
- 99 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- —
- Wind
- 11 km/h
What to expect
Daytime
Cool days in San Francisco: a jumper you can take off, a shell in the bag. Walking is fine. Lingering outside without a layer is optimism.
Mornings and evenings are colder than the postcard. Pack for both, especially if you leave the built-up centre.
Rain
January is the wet side of the year in San Francisco. Days can be heavy. Plans that cannot survive rain are the wrong plans.
This is not a reason to skip San Francisco if you like the place. It is a reason to pack for weather and to stop treating every grey hour as a failed holiday.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in San Francisco
Dates are a starting point for January.
Travel guides for San Francisco
What to read before you book.
Average weather in San Francisco
TemperatureRainfall
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FAQs about San Francisco
Climate averages for San Francisco, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit San Francisco is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
September is the hottest month, with an average around 18°C.
December is the wettest month, with about 106 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
