San Francisco climate (from someone who lives here)
 

People often talk about the microclimates of San Francisco, and the fact that you can be one place, drive a few miles and the temperature changes drastically. I've lived here 45 years, so I know it's true, but I just wanted to share an anecdote - yesterday, we were driving from Point Reyes to San Francisco. Not surprisingly, it was quite a bit warmer inland than at the beach at Point Reyes.

What was incredible was that it was 95 degrees in Corte Madera, then 9.8 miles farther south on 101 it was 63 degrees (that's not a typo - a 32-degree swing in 9.8 miles), then after crossing the GGB it was 79 again. So, bring a sweatshirt, and bring a bathing suit too!

We live near Morro Bay and see the same thing. Yesterday it was 95 degrees at home and 62 when I drove to Morro Bay (15 minutes away). You see a lot of people buying sweatshirts when they get to the coast because they don't understand the micro-climates. I think it's pretty awesome!

>>You see a lot of people buying sweatshirts . . . <<

You can pretty much spot the tourists . . . shorts, blue knees . . . and brand new sweatshirts/fleeces. :)

I'm about a mile from the ocean and since Carmel is so hilly, it can be sunny at my house but completely socked in at the beach. I sometimes forget and have been known to start heading to the beach to "catch the sunset" only to realize half way down that there's no sunset ;)

Good to know since I will be traveling to SF soon!

I hike a lot in the area and have learned that sunny at home does not translate always to sunny in the mountains off Skyline. We passed through foggy wetness and drizzle traveling south from Woodside Road junction on Hwy 35 to Portola Redwoods, then I ended up being very comfortable hiking in shorts and T shirt.