What May feels like in San Francisco
For San Francisco, May is late spring on the calendar. Mild afternoons make it easy to spend hours outdoors. The gap between afternoon and night is small, so nights are cool and the temperature hardly changes after dark. The air is fairly humid, though at these temperatures it rarely feels oppressive.
Rain in San Francisco in May
May is a dry month in San Francisco; rain falls about one day in 16. A rainy day brings about 7.1 mm (0.3 in) on average — steady rain rather than a passing shower. That is lighter than the city's yearly norm of about 9.6 mm per rainy day.
Daylight and sunshine in May
Mid-month, San Francisco gets 14 h 11 min of daylight, from sunrise near 6:00 am to sunset near 8:11 pm. Days are getting longer: 1 h 3 min more daylight than in mid-April. The sun is out for roughly 91% of those daylight hours, so skies are mostly clear.
How May compares to the rest of the year
In San Francisco's temperature order, May sits as the 6th warmest month. Against April, the average high is 1.6°C (2.9°F) higher, with 20 mm less rain. June continues the upward trend. June averages a high of 19.9°C (67.8°F).
Who May suits
- Sightseeing: a good fit — the weather rarely gets in the way of a city walk.
- Parks & outdoor: a good fit — good conditions for sitting outside.
- Beach: a good fit — warm and mostly dry on the coast.
Tips for visiting San Francisco in May
Sunglasses
Frequent sunshine — sunglasses and a light hat.
Quick questions
How warm is San Francisco in May?
Afternoons average 18°C (64.4°F) and nights about 10.7°C (51.3°F) — mild by most people's standards. It is the 6th warmest month of the year.
Does it rain a lot in San Francisco in May?
No — May is one of the drier times, with about 2 rainy days and 14 mm in total.
What should I wear in San Francisco in May?
The numbers point to sunglasses. There is little need to change for the evening.
Is May or June better for visiting San Francisco?
June scores better on our climate ranking (#1 of 12 vs #5), rated Great against Great. June is warmer and has fewer rainy days.