WeatherArchive / Compare cities / Los Angeles vs San Francisco
Los Angeles vs San Francisco weather: climate comparison
Los Angeles is the warmer of the two, averaging 65°F (19°C) over the year against 57°F (14°C) in San Francisco. San Francisco is wetter, with 20.3 in (515 mm) of precipitation a year to Los Angeles's 14.0 in (355 mm). Below: every month side by side, from 30 years of ERA5 data (1996–2025).
- Mean temperature
- 18.6°C Los Angeles
14.0°C San Francisco - Annual precipitation
- 355.0 mm Los Angeles
514.5 mm San Francisco - Rainy days a year
- 32 Los Angeles
56 San Francisco - Sunshine per day
- 11.0 h Los Angeles
10.5 h San Francisco
Month by month
| Month | Los Angeles | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| January | 19.1°C | 13.6°C |
| February | 19.3°C | 14.4°C |
| March | 20.9°C | 15.5°C |
| April | 23.2°C | 16.6°C |
| May | 25.1°C | 18.3°C |
| June | 27.9°C | 20.2°C |
| July | 31.2°C | 20.5°C |
| August | 32.2°C | 21.2°C |
| September | 30.8°C | 22.0°C |
| October | 27.2°C | 20.5°C |
| November | 22.9°C | 16.4°C |
| December | 18.8°C | 13.5°C |
Year at a glance
| Measure | Los Angeles | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Mean annual temperature | 18.6°C | 14.0°C |
| Warmest month (avg high) | Aug · 32°C | Sep · 22°C |
| Coldest month (avg low) | Dec · 7°C | Jan · 7°C |
| Annual range (warmest high − coldest low) | 25°C | 15°C |
| Annual precipitation | 355.0 mm | 514.5 mm |
| Rainy days per year | 32 | 56 |
| Wettest / driest month | Feb / Jul | Dec / Jul |
| Average sunshine per day | 11.0 h | 10.5 h |
In short: Los Angeles is the warmest overall (18.6°C mean); San Francisco gets the most precipitation (514.5 mm a year); Los Angeles is the sunniest (11.0 h a day on average); San Francisco has the smallest swing between its warmest and coldest months.
Record high 1996–2025: Los Angeles 45.7°C (2024-09-06), San Francisco 38.5°C (2017-09-02). Record low: Los Angeles -1.9°C (2013-01-14), 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 Los Angeles (34.06, -118.24) and San Francisco (37.79, -122.41).
Which months differ most?
The gap in average highs is widest in August, when Los Angeles runs 20°F / 11°C warmer, and narrowest in February (9°F / 5°C apart). The biggest rainfall difference is in December: San Francisco gets 1.6 in (41 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 Los Angeles climate and San Francisco climate pages.
Compare Los Angeles or San Francisco with another city
Questions people ask
Is Los Angeles warmer than San Francisco?
Los Angeles is warmer on average: its mean annual temperature is 65°F (19°C) against 57°F (14°C) in San Francisco (ERA5, 1996–2025).
Which gets more rain, Los Angeles or San Francisco?
San Francisco, with about 20.3 in (515 mm) of precipitation a year and 56 days with at least 1 mm, compared with 14.0 in (355 mm) and 32 days in Los Angeles.
Which is sunnier, Los Angeles or San Francisco?
Los Angeles averages more sunshine: 11.0 h a day against 10.5 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.