According to Herb Caen, one of the best
lines Mark Twain never
wrote was, "the coldest winter I ever spent was one summer in San
Francisco". (thanks to Jim G & Steve for clarifying this!)
If you like fog, and more fog, and yet more fog, then San Francisco is
most definitely the city for you! The City is often one of the coldest cities in the Bay
area in the summer. While 30 miles inland the temperature is blistering,
San Francisco is often 20 degrees cooler. San Francisco is noted not for
its extreme temperatures but rather for its range of consistency. The
temperature rarely falls below 40 degrees F or rises above 80 degrees F.
The best time of the year to visit The City if you like warmer
temperatures is in the Fall. By then (sometimes) the fog disappears and The City
is unveiled with sunshine and clear skies. The temperatures are often a
bit higher in this season, even when compared to the summer months of
July and August. San Francisco receives about 20 inches of rain a year.
Most of this falls in the winter months however, fog drip in the summer
can cause one need a raincoat year round.
Should you be visiting San Francisco in the winter,
expect temperatures during the day to range from the high 40's to the
mid to upper 50's. Because San Francisco is located close to the ocean
its temperatures are more moderate in the winter than some of the
surrounding inland areas which often see frost and colder temperatures.
