San Diego weather by month & the best time to visit
United States · major coastal city · semi-arid climate
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The best time to visit San Diego is July — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 95/100), with August and September close behind. San Diego averages about 2,854 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F and roughly 4 mm of rain in July.
When is the best time to visit San Diego?
For sunshine, the best time to visit San Diego is July, then August and September. The dullest month is February (58/100, 52 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is San Diego?
San Diego gets a lot of sun: around 2,854 hours a year. July (95/100) is noticeably better than February (58). It ranks #106 of 580 destinations in United States for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,279 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around January, carries about 53% of the annual 269 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66 | 17° / 63°F | 14° / 57°F | 42 mm | 3 | 16° / 61°F |
| February | 58 | 16° / 61°F | 13° / 55°F | 52 mm | 5 | 16° / 61°F |
| March | 60 | 16° / 61°F | 13° / 55°F | 29 mm | 6 | 16° / 61°F |
| April | 70 | 17° / 63°F | 14° / 57°F | 17 mm | 8 | 17° / 63°F |
| May | 71 | 17° / 63°F | 15° / 59°F | 7 mm | 8 | 18° / 64°F |
| June | 76 | 18° / 64°F | 16° / 61°F | 26 mm | 9 | 20° / 68°F |
| July | 95 | 20° / 68°F | 18° / 64°F | 4 mm | 9 | 22° / 72°F |
| August | 95 | 21° / 70°F | 19° / 66°F | 2 mm | 9 | 22° / 72°F |
| September | 95 | 22° / 72°F | 19° / 66°F | 5 mm | 8 | 22° / 72°F |
| October | 93 | 21° / 70°F | 18° / 64°F | 14 mm | 6 | 19° / 66°F |
| November | 84 | 19° / 66°F | 16° / 61°F | 23 mm | 4 | 17° / 63°F |
| December | 65 | 17° / 63°F | 14° / 57°F | 48 mm | 3 | 15° / 59°F |
Sea temperature in San Diego by month
The sea off San Diego is warmest in July at around 22°C / 72°F, and coolest in December at 15°C / 59°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 3 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
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Head-to-head
How San Diego compares month by month: San Diego vs Los Angeles · San Diego vs Tijuana · San Diego vs Mexicali · San Diego vs Ontario · all comparisons
San Diego: questions and answers
What kind of destination is San Diego?
San Diego is a major coastal city in United States with a semi-arid climate — the sea reaches 22°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 3 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does San Diego get a year?
San Diego gets about 2,854 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit San Diego?
The sunniest time to visit San Diego is July, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 95/100 (with August and September close behind). Expect daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F.
What is the least sunny month in San Diego?
February is the least sunny month in San Diego, scoring 58/100 with about 52 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in San Diego?
The sea in San Diego ranges from about 15°C (December) to 22°C (July). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in San Diego?
The typical midday UV index in San Diego peaks around 9 (very high) in June, easing to about 3 (moderate) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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