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San Francisco in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in San Francisco in May will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for San Francisco, based on historical data.
Check flight prices to San Francisco on Avionero:
May

Weather in San Francisco in May 2024

Good Weather
Mild
☁️
Cloudy
Weather for San Francisco in May is typically good with an average maximum temperature of +70°F during the day, and approximately 10 sunny days monthly. Typically, there are about 2 rainy days with the total average precipitation that falls in May around 16 mm. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+70°F
Avg. max. temperature
+45°F
Min.
+91°F
Max.
16 mm
Total precipitation
78%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
10 ☀️
Sunny Days
19 ⛅️
Cloudy
2 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: San Francisco has good weather in May.

Average temperature in San Francisco in May

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in San Francisco for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The temperature in May is +70°F on average, with a range between a maximum of +84°F during the day and a minimum of +45°F at night.

The average maximum temperature goes up 18% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +68°F to +75°F.

Is San Francisco warm or cold in May?

San Francisco is typically mild in May.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +66°F to +70°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +50°F to +52°F.

Pack a light jacket as it will be warm in the day and cool in the evenings.

Take a look at how May is compared to other months in San Francisco:

Climate in San Francisco in May

San Francisco weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+66°F+70°F+73°F
Min. temperature
+39°F+45°F+46°F
Max. temperature
+86°F+91°F+97°F
Rainfall
37 mm16 mm3 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Humidity
77%78%79%
Air pressure
1016 HPa1014 HPa1012 HPa
Sunny days
81012
Cloudy days
181918
Rainy days
420
Snowy days
000

May weather is still as good as in April. It’s getting warmer as May arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +66°F to +70°F during the day. As May arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 37 mm to 16 mm. Humidity rises from 77% to 78%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 3 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in May, from 8 to 10.

June brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

Wind speed in San Francisco in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 2 m/s getting up to 8 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in San Francisco is gradually increasing during May, going from 2 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in San Francisco based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 3% chance of rain on an average day in May, with total rainfall of approximately 1 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 1 mm, which is considered light rain. San Francisco is amazing in May with as little as 1 rainy days on average, so plan adventures in the great outdoors.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
San Francisco wettest month is December, where a typical day has a 26% chance of precipitation and 115 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 0% chance of precipitation and 0 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in San Francisco?

This is the weather in San Francisco in May 2023:
1 May
☀️
+69°F
2 May
☁️
+66°F
3 May
☀️
+74°F
4 May
☀️
+73°F
5 May
☁️
+68°F
6 May
☁️
+66°F
7 May
☁️
+64°F
8 May
☀️
+63°F
9 May
☀️
+58°F
10 May
☀️
+59°F
11 May
☀️
+64°F
12 May
☀️
+62°F
13 May
☀️
+71°F
14 May
☁️
+74°F
15 May
☁️
+72°F
16 May
☁️
+66°F
17 May
☀️
+71°F
18 May
☀️
+81°F
19 May
☀️
+80°F
20 May
☁️
+75°F
21 May
☀️
+74°F
22 May
☀️
+75°F
23 May
☀️
+77°F
24 May
☀️
+85°F
25 May
☀️
+83°F
26 May
☁️
+72°F
27 May
☁️
+64°F
28 May
☁️
+66°F
29 May
☀️
+71°F
30 May
☀️
+71°F
31 May
☀️
+76°F
In May 2023 San Francisco had 20 sunny days, 11 cloudy days, and 0 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +70°F, with an absolute maximum of +84°F and a minimum of +57°F. The average humidity was 75%, with a maximum of 95% and a minimum of 37%. The average wind speed was 2 m/s, with a maximum of 10 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how San Francisco climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in San Francisco in May has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1998 (+66°F) and the highest in 2001 (+84°F). The driest year was 1985 with only 0 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2017 with 0 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in San Francisco in May:

Is May a good time to visit San Francisco?

May is a really good time to go to San Francisco. The weather is nice so plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring. Check out other good time to visit San Francisco.

Can you sunbathe in San Francisco in May?

May has mild temperatures in San Francisco. Not ideal for sunbathing, but still good for daytime outdoor activities, but plan for cool evenings. Pack a light jacket and shorts!

Is San Francisco rainy in May?

San Francisco is usually dry in May. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.

Is it sunny in San Francisco in May?

The amount of sunny days in San Francisco during May varies; prepare for a mix of clouds and sun.

Other cities in USA

Check out the weather for other cities in USA.

Monthly weather in San Francisco

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in San Francisco, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.