Visitor Information
Car Rentals in San Diego
Restaurant Reservations
San Diego Maps and Brochures

San Diego Weather

San Diego has one of the best climates in the country. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the hot, arid deserts to the east, San Diego experiences both days of cool marine fog and days of epic sunshine.

San Diego Seasons

San Diego Spring: March-June
Spring is the coolest time of year for San Diego. A persistent marine layer blankets the coast for much of the San Diego's spring, keeping temperatures low even while the sun is strong. Nights can be surprising chilly and days, contrary to stereotype, can be gray.

San Diego Summer: July-August
Summer is San Diego's time to shine, a perfect manifestation of the ideal Southern California summer. The sun is strong and hot (sunglasses and sunblock are de rigueur), the ocean is warm and sparkling and evenings, are generally clear and warm. One caveat: a marine layer of fog at night is a definite possibility when San Diego's summer conditions are right.

San Diego Fall: September-October
A short-lived, but near perfect season, fall in San Diego is an excellent time to visit and avoid the San Diego summer crowds. Days are sunny and warmed by the hot winds blowing in from the deserts to the east. Hence, they are mostly clear of San Diego's moist marine layer (a common sight in spring and early summer). Nights, although clear, can be chilly.

San Diego Winter: November-February
Winter is San Diego is benevolent and mild, especially for visitors from parts of the country and world where it actually (gasp!) snows. Winter storms do dump rivers of well-needed rain from November to February, making the San Diego winter a wet one, if not one that requires a heavy wool jacket and mittens. Days between San Diego rainstorms can be surprisingly warm and sunny.

The Best Times to Visit San Diego

The sun is perhaps San Diego's biggest tourist attraction. San Diego typifies the ideal Southern California climate, drenched in sun most of the year and blissfully free of snowstorms, hurricanes and Mother Nature's other climatic maladies.

Summer is of course the best time of year to visit San Diego, but it is also the most crowded and expensive. Near the coast, spring usually brings a persistent marine layer, stubbornly separating visitors from the famed San Diego sunshine shining just above. Fall in San Diego is warm and sunny, and decidedly less crowded. For the inland San Diego Empire, including Poway, Escondido and Rancho Bernardo, temperatures stay into the high 70s well into December; it is not uncommon for locals to sunbathe poolside up until the Thanksgiving holiday.

What to Pack

When talking about what to pack for San Diego weather, it's better to mention what not to pack. Most San Diegans don't even own a heavy wool jacket; San Diego winters rarely require anything warmer than a medium-weight jacket. When traveling to San Diego in the rainy winter, be sure to pack closed toe shoes and long pants. The same goes for San Diego fall, when nights can be chilly.

For the other half of the year, San Diego's weather demands little more than flips flops, bathing suits and sunglasses. San Diego's sparkling beaches, some of the most pristine in California, in addition to having warm Pacific waters, are a must for any San Diego visitor in spring and summer.

Copyright © 2008 SanDiego-California.com    > Photographers    > Become an Editor    > Contact Us    > Advertise