San Francisco vs Sacramento: which is sunnier?
🇺🇸 United States vs 🇺🇸 United States · 138 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Sacramento is the sunnier overall: about 3,401 hours of sunshine a year to San Francisco's 2,879. Sacramento has the higher Sunshine Score in 7 of 12 months, San Francisco in 3 (2 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
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At a glance
| San Francisco | Sacramento | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,879 | 3,401 |
| Sunniest month | September (87/100) | June (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 42/100 | 49/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 74/100 | 79/100 |
| Rain / year | 515 mm | 563 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 9 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
San Francisco vs Sacramento month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | Sacramento | San Francisco | Sacramento | San Francisco | Sacramento | |
| January | 33 | 34 | 13° | 13° | 88 | 100 |
| February | 40 | 47 | 14° | 15° | 88 | 101 |
| March | 41 | 70 | 14° | 18° | 74 | 84 |
| April | 52 | 91 | 15° | 21° | 38 | 43 |
| May | 54 | 96 | 15° | 26° | 17 | 19 |
| June | 71 | 98 | 17° | 32° | 6 | 5 |
| July | 72 | 69 | 17° | 35° | 2 | 1 |
| August | 80 | 69 | 18° | 35° | 2 | 1 |
| September | 87 | 89 | 19° | 33° | 4 | 3 |
| October | 84 | 94 | 19° | 26° | 26 | 28 |
| November | 57 | 82 | 16° | 19° | 55 | 57 |
| December | 37 | 32 | 14° | 13° | 115 | 121 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb Sacramento · Mar Sacramento · Apr Sacramento · May Sacramento · Jun Sacramento · Jul San Francisco · Aug San Francisco · Sep even · Oct Sacramento · Nov Sacramento · Dec San Francisco.
When to pick which
- November–February: Sacramento (average score 49/100 vs 42). Daytime highs are similar (14°C vs 15°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Sacramento (average score 86/100 vs 49). Sacramento is the warmer, around 22°C daytime highs vs 15°C.
- June–August: Sacramento (average score 79/100 vs 74). Sacramento is the warmer, around 34°C daytime highs vs 17°C.
- September–October: Sacramento (average score 92/100 vs 86). Sacramento is the warmer, around 30°C daytime highs vs 19°C.
Full month-by-month guides: San Francisco weather by month · Sacramento weather by month · Best time to visit United States.
More comparisons: San Francisco vs Fresno · San Francisco vs Santa Rosa · San Francisco vs Monterey · Sacramento vs Reno · Sacramento vs Santa Rosa · all head-to-heads