While returning from our last trip, my husband and I received a flying voucher for the domestic US. I have always wanted to go to San Fran but my husband's schedule will only allow us to go in early December. I was wondering what the weather is like and if that is a good time to go.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Try www.weather.com and type in San Francisco. You can look up average temperatures there.

December is cold here--maybe 40 or 50 degrees. There is never a bad time to come here....

December is generally rainy and cool in northern California. The storms usually come in waves with a couple days of rain followed by a few dry days, sometimes cloudy or foggy, sometimes sunny before the next storm rolls in. Unless a storm is really heavy, on rainy days it will more than likely consist of rain showers off and on throughout the day rather than a couple days of solid rain. Once in awhile the Pineapple Express comes through from Hawaii, which brings fairly warm air and lots of rain. And sometimes a storm will come down from Alaska bringing some really chilly weather, usually not as much rain though. Other times the weather will be absolutely glorious with sunshine and relatively warm temperatures.

So - should you come visit in December? While December isn't the best time of the year to visit, the weather is still better than the vast majority of the rest of the country at that time of the year.

Early December is a great time to go. The City is decorated for Christmas, and we got a great rate for a hotel the weekend right after Thanksgiving. The weather was colder and it did rain, but didn't seem to last long. Just be prepared. Let's face it, cold in SF is all relative to where you come from.

My sister moved to SF this past spring and she lives in the fog belt and has been complaining about cold in August, so there it is.

Personally I loved December in SF

Thank you for your responses. We live on the East Coast near Philadelphia and December is cold and can be snowy here. Sounds like a rainy day in San Fran beats a good day here.

When we were transferred to the Bay Area, we started looking for houses in August. We spent one night in SF, and it was pretty darned chilly-not summer clothing weather at all. On the other hand we were up there from SJ in Dec., and it was just beautiful-high 60's bright and sunny. Of course that was not the norm, but you might get lucky. As someone said SF is wonderful anytime!

lilbabs, I've lived in both Northern CA and New England. If you're from PA, a bad weather day in SF will feel like a mild day in mid-winter in tne northeast, not bad at all. I agree with everyone, there really isn't a bad time to go to the Bay Area.

SEW - had to laugh about your sister complaining about the cold in August. We like to go over to the coast to escape the heat of the inland areas during the summer. We live in San Jose, and let me tell you - when it's hot here, there is no better sight than catching your first glimps of the fog bank on the drive up to SF or over to Santa Cruz!

lilbabs - you are right, a rainy day in SF beats a snowy day just about anywhere else. A couple winters ago I went to Nebraska for a week (never been so cold in my life)! When I got off the plane in SF, it was pouring down rain, but the air was nice and warm. I wanted to kneel down and kiss the ground, I was so happy to be home!

Reminds me of a true story our bus driver told us in Skagway, Alaska. She and her husband work in Alaska in the summertime because the money is good.

But along comes winter and they like to go where it's "warm" - Nebraska!

December and the start of the heavy rains is a different season than you would imagine in other parts of the U.S. It is really the very early, early part of the next year's spring, in that the rain makes everything green and growing again even though it's chilly. Remember, we don't really get rain during the summer, so the hills are brown from June through October.

The rain storms can be accompanied by ferocious winds, but the weather systems clear out the air and the days afterwards are sparkling and crisp. If you go to the redwoods during the rainy season, the mosses will be at the height of their beauty.

Hell, yes, come in December! You can't go wrong. Maybe you'll see the equine members of the S.F. Mounted Patrol downtown all dolled up for Christmas with little Santa caps on their heads - one of my favorite sights during the holidays here.

Come..it will seem mild compared with Philly. Downtown will be decorated and there are some lovely things to do in the area if you will have a car as well. December will find you at the early part of dungeness crab season(should not be missed), you can get a steaming bowl of cioppino at Tadich Grill and enjoy a SF landmark,we have several art movie houses, you can take a steam and get massages at Kabuki Hot Springs. If you want to travel out a bit, Berkeley has a great Rep Theater(check out their website for schedule.you can also get there on BART), Filoli which is a wonderful mansion on the Peninsula should be decorated to the nines for the season and often have Christmas Teas, if the Gay Mens Chorus or Chanticleer is performing when you are here, definitely go. Both the ballet and the symphony will be underway. When we get rain, it seldom is a big one that goes on and on. Personally, I think walking about the city or even taking the ferry can be lovely in a light rain. Often, on the heels of a big rain we get several days of stellar and very clear skies.

Also,I'm not sure about the exact dates in December, but Muir Woods does a walk lit by coleman lanterns. Point Reyes will be sublime and the Napa Valley will not be inundated with people.

And you might get lucky and have some of those lovely mid-winter days when the sun is shining and the temps are in the mid-60's. I'll never forget one of my first winters here riding around Monterey in a convertible on New Year's Day.

Marylin - I grew up on the central coast and we have had more than one Christmas dinner on the back patio.

Thank you for your responses. Sounds like a winner.