San Francisco, CA weather in December
December in San Francisco: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 58°F, lows 47°F, about 12 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in San Francisco.
- Normal high
- 58°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:06 am / 4:51 pm | 7:24 am / 5:00 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am48°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon54°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm56°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm51°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from San Francisco Intl Airport (11 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 32% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 54%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 4.8 in; a dry December brings about 2.2 in and a wet one about 7.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201999: average high 62°F
- Coolest December1994: average high 55°F
- Wettest December2002: 12.0 in
- Driest December2011: 0.1 in
- Highest reading73°F (December 2, 2011)
- Lowest reading34°F (December 21, 1998)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 58°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 47°F | 47°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 3 | 4 |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 9.6 h | 9.9 h |
Highs change by -6°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Santa Maria, CA224 mi · high 64°F · 7 wet days
- Drier: Salinas, CA87 mi · high 62°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: South Lake Tahoe, CA154 mi · high 43°F · 11 wet days
How San Francisco ranks in December
- Normal high132nd warmest of 378 cities; 42nd of 60 in California
- Wet days292nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days158th most of 340
What to pack for San Francisco in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
December has 389 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is San Francisco in December?
The normal high is 58°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 34°F (December 21, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in San Francisco in December?
About 12 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2002 (12.0 in); the driest was in 2011 (0.1 in).
Is December a good time to visit San Francisco?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for San Francisco (44 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: San Francisco Downtown (USW00023272), 0.5 mi SW of the city center, 150 ft (95 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: San Francisco Oceanside (USC00047767), 5.7 mi SW of the city center, 8 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: San Francisco Intl Airport (USW00023234), 11 mi SSE of the city center, 8 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: San Francisco International Airport (724940-23234), 11 mi SSE of the city center, 10 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.