When to avoid SF Rain?

January 4, 2007 3:09 PM

When is the best time to travel to San Francisco between January and May?

I'm planning a week or two trip to San Francisco sometime toward the end of the winter (before April or May). I understand it's rainy through the winter months there. Will I be safe in march? I live near Boston and would love to spend spring weather in New England, but still see San Francisco when it's not too miserable and wet.

posted by morallybass to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total)

Closer to May is (usually) a better bet. We tend to get our best weather in May/June and September/October. Otherwise it's often freezing and foggy, or rainy (and cold). See here for monthly average rainfall stats.
posted by rtha at 3:22 PM on January 4, 2007

March can still be pretty rainy. It's definitely unpredictable at that time of year. Your question says "best time to travel to San Francisco between January and May" and if that's really what you're asking, I'd say April or May. However, your [more inside] seems to suggest April and May are not in the cards. In any case, a little bit of March rain isn't gong to kill you. Generally by then, the rain is not as cold and incessant. Bring an umbrella!
posted by otherwordlyglow at 3:22 PM on January 4, 2007

It doesn't rain heavily like it does on the East coast. It's more like a constant drizzle interspersed with mist, similar to the way it is in the Pacific Northwest.

It's been a few years since I've lived there so I can't speak to specific dates. Have you searched Google for climate graphs?
posted by matildaben at 3:22 PM on January 4, 2007

May is the driest month of those, by far.
posted by trip and a half at 3:25 PM on January 4, 2007

Doh!
posted by trip and a half at 3:26 PM on January 4, 2007

It rained 25 days in March of 2006! But yeah, the farther from winter, the rainy season, the better the odds of no rain.
posted by birdie birdington at 3:36 PM on January 4, 2007

Historically April looks good, rain wise. Take a jacket that's good in a cold wind (leather is perfect for SF), and the first rule is wear lots of layers, and bring them with you even if it's sunny. The temps can change suddenly over the course of the day and night, and the tourists are the ones shivering in shorts if the fog comes in.
posted by tula at 3:37 PM on January 4, 2007

Yeah, hoo BOY last March was a wet one. It was COLD too. It hailed more than once.

I'd definitely latch on to April (mid) or May (anytime).

Bring a jacket no matter when you visit. Layers, as tula suggest, also good, since you can get on the train and be freezing and get off and be sweltering.
posted by smallerdemon at 7:58 PM on January 4, 2007