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Houston vs San Francisco weather: climate comparison
Houston is the warmer of the two, averaging 70°F (21°C) over the year against 57°F (14°C) in San Francisco. Houston is wetter, with 54.0 in (1372 mm) of precipitation a year to San Francisco's 20.3 in (515 mm). Below: every month side by side, from 30 years of ERA5 data (1996–2025).
- Mean temperature
- 21.3°C Houston
14.0°C San Francisco - Annual precipitation
- 1372.4 mm Houston
514.5 mm San Francisco - Rainy days a year
- 132 Houston
56 San Francisco - Sunshine per day
- 9.3 h Houston
10.5 h San Francisco
Month by month
| Month | Houston | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| January | 16.9°C | 13.6°C |
| February | 18.8°C | 14.4°C |
| March | 22.2°C | 15.5°C |
| April | 25.7°C | 16.6°C |
| May | 29.4°C | 18.3°C |
| June | 32.0°C | 20.2°C |
| July | 32.9°C | 20.5°C |
| August | 33.5°C | 21.2°C |
| September | 31.0°C | 22.0°C |
| October | 27.1°C | 20.5°C |
| November | 21.8°C | 16.4°C |
| December | 18.1°C | 13.5°C |
Year at a glance
| Measure | Houston | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Mean annual temperature | 21.3°C | 14.0°C |
| Warmest month (avg high) | Aug · 33°C | Sep · 22°C |
| Coldest month (avg low) | Jan · 8°C | Jan · 7°C |
| Annual range (warmest high − coldest low) | 26°C | 15°C |
| Annual precipitation | 1372.4 mm | 514.5 mm |
| Rainy days per year | 132 | 56 |
| Wettest / driest month | Sep / Feb | Dec / Jul |
| Average sunshine per day | 9.3 h | 10.5 h |
In short: Houston is the warmest overall (21.3°C mean); Houston gets the most precipitation (1372.4 mm a year); San Francisco is the sunniest (10.5 h a day on average); San Francisco has the smallest swing between its warmest and coldest months.
Record high 1996–2025: Houston 41.7°C (2000-09-04), San Francisco 38.5°C (2017-09-02). Record low: Houston -10.9°C (2021-02-16), San Francisco -2.3°C (1998-12-21).
Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (CC BY 4.0). Values are ERA5 reanalysis model data on a ~9–25 km grid, not readings from a weather station, so a single town’s thermometer can differ by a few degrees and local showers can be missed. Monthly means of daily ERA5 values, 1996–2025, for the grid cells nearest Houston (29.77, -95.33) and San Francisco (37.79, -122.41).
Which months differ most?
The gap in average highs is widest in July, when Houston runs 22°F / 12°C warmer, and narrowest in January (6°F / 3°C apart). The biggest rainfall difference is in September: Houston gets 5.3 in (135 mm) more on average.
Add a third or fourth city, or swap in any other place, in the full comparison tool. For one city in depth, see the Houston climate and San Francisco climate pages.
Compare Houston or San Francisco with another city
Questions people ask
Is Houston warmer than San Francisco?
Houston is warmer on average: its mean annual temperature is 70°F (21°C) against 57°F (14°C) in San Francisco (ERA5, 1996–2025).
Which gets more rain, Houston or San Francisco?
Houston, with about 54.0 in (1372 mm) of precipitation a year and 132 days with at least 1 mm, compared with 20.3 in (515 mm) and 56 days in San Francisco.
Which is sunnier, Houston or San Francisco?
San Francisco averages more sunshine: 10.5 h a day against 9.3 h. Sunshine duration is modelled from cloud cover.
How reliable is this comparison?
Both cities use the same 30-year reanalysis, so differences are consistent. Absolute values describe a grid cell several kilometres wide and can differ by a degree or two from the airport station.