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I trust stats more based on my experience, and the stats say that If I was in Downtown San Francisco during the daytime I would expect to wear just shorts and a t shirt from February to November. Describing it as freezing is just absolutely ridiculous. It's only freezing on exceptionally rare winter nights.
Then you'd freeze your butt off, like every tourist who visits in the summer - that is, if you planned to venture beyond Market Street and Noe Valley/Castro. How many times have you been here, and did you go anywhere outside of downtown? Have you EVER been here, in fact? Because as I said, we can spot tourists a mile away from their inappropriate (and shiver-inducing) attire. Not to mention, we just don't wear shorts in SF, even when it IS warm. So you'd look silly regardless, lol.
I agree. San Francisco summers can be very cold and windy. It depends where you are. It can be warm and sunny in downtown or foggy and cold at Golden Gate or the beach. There is no major city in the US or even Canada that has colder summers.
To revisit my point about snow in California, this is what it can look like in the Tahoe area! When I was living there, I saw even higher snow-packs than this.
I agree. San Francisco summers can be very cold and windy. It depends where you are. It can be warm and sunny in downtown or foggy and cold at Golden Gate or the beach. There is no major city in the US or even Canada that has colder summers.
Yup, and I'm not sure why someone from the UK is arguing with me (a local) over that! I lived in the Sunset district for a few years, and literally didn't see the sun unless I went downtown... fog was so thick sometimes, you couldn't even see past your hand. And maybe the temps aren't THAT low on "paper," but when you add wind-chill and fog, it sure feels chilly in your bones. Also, if we're comparing summer temperatures around the world/US, we average way lower than almost anywhere else.
Yup, and I'm not sure why someone from the UK is arguing with me (a local) over that! I lived in the Sunset district for a few years, and literally didn't see the sun unless I went downtown... fog was so thick sometimes, you couldn't even see past your hand. And maybe the temps aren't THAT low on "paper," but when you add wind-chill and fog, it sure feels chilly in your bones. Also, if we're comparing summer temperatures around the world/US, we average way lower than almost anywhere else.
What would you guess the sunshine hours are in different areas of San Francisco? The 3000 hours per year from the official NOAA site is where exactly?
To revisit my point about snow in California, this is what it can look like in the Tahoe area! When I was living there, I saw even higher snow-packs than this.
There doesn't seem to be a consistent stereotype of New Zealand. Some people see it being near Australia and the Pacific Islands and think it's virtually tropical, others see photos of snow-covered mountains and assume it has frigid winters. In reality, in most places it's pretty temperate.
Then you'd freeze your butt off, like every tourist who visits in the summer - that is, if you planned to venture beyond Market Street and Noe Valley/Castro. How many times have you been here, and did you go anywhere outside of downtown? Have you EVER been here, in fact? Because as I said, we can spot tourists a mile away from their inappropriate (and shiver-inducing) attire. Not to mention, we just don't wear shorts in SF, even when it IS warm. So you'd look silly regardless, lol.
No I haven't ever been there but you don't have to have visited a place to know what the climate is like and I'd love to go. I can assure you that I would feel very comfortable in that clothing, however I have experienced coastal summer temperatures in the UK similar to that and it is verging on getting some long trousers on. BUT, it must feel the same or even warmer at the same temperatures as it is a lower latitude, so the idea that it is freezing in summer is absolutely laughable.
The sunset District is the coolest place in SF, and yet it's still warm enough to wear shorts from March to November. I think they should go to the UK or even Alaska, then they'd know what cold is
Don't be silly, of course they'd wear shorts, when its warm like on MOST days of the year. It's currently 18°C on a WINTER's day. And you are telling me that no one wore shorts on it's record hottest day, 1 September this year. It was 41°C and there is video proof that most people were wearing shorts
For the most part of the year, San Francisco is less than 5°C cooler than San Diego, yet San Diego is hailed as ''paradise'' and San Francisco is labelled ''freezing'' despite having more sunny days . As it gets warmer with climate change (although 1981-2010 averages are colder than 1971-2000, 1991-2020 will likely be higher than 1971-2000) it will eventually be as warm as San Deigo today https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.15cd6281db89 and yet people will still deny it
Last edited by wilkinsonj417; 12-18-2017 at 03:27 PM..
No I haven't ever been there but you don't have to have visited a place to know what the climate is like and I'd love to go. I can assure you that I would feel very comfortable in that clothing, however I have experienced coastal summer temperatures in the UK similar to that and it is verging on getting some long trousers on. BUT, it must feel the same or even warmer at the same temperatures as it is a lower latitude, so the idea that it is freezing in summer is absolutely laughable.
The sunset District is the coolest place in SF, and yet it's still warm enough to wear shorts from March to November. I think they should go to the UK or even Alaska, then they'd know what cold is
Don't be silly, of course they'd wear shorts, when its warm like on MOST days of the year. It's currently 18°C on a WINTER's day. And you are telling me that no one wore shorts on it's record hottest day, 1 September this year. It was 41°C and there is video proof that most people were wearing shorts
For the most part of the year, San Francisco is less than 5°C cooler than San Diego, yet San Diego is hailed as ''paradise'' and San Francisco is labelled ''freezing'' despite having more sunny days
I can tell you San Francisco in July felt a lot colder to me than London in September even though London wasn't even sunny for the most part. Also, the rest of the year in San Francisco can be much nicer than summers.
Precisely to the bolded, as I wasn't comparing us to the rest of the world.
The question was regarding misconceptions about YOUR CLIMATE - and it's a fact that people think ALL of California is warm ALL the time! So in comparison to people's expectations, it is rather chilly and unpleasant much of the year (at the coast). Of course it's nicer than the UK, but I also think your stats are skewed regarding sunny days. Have you lived in SF or its surrounding cities? And do you realize even SF itself has a ton of microclimates? You could be in Noe Valley enjoying glorious sunshine, then drive 3 miles to the outer Sunset, and be trapped in pea-soup fog; or drive 3 miles SE to the Bayview, and be blown away by heavy winds. They measure the temps (and sun?) from the middle around Twin Peaks, which is the warmest and sunniest part. So yeah, I'm not convinced.
Also, I forgot to mention how surprised some folks are that it SNOWS in California. I lived in South Lake Tahoe for two winters (El Nino winters, no less), and the snow levels there can be unreal at times. Therefore I repeat: California is not as warm and sunny as people tend to think.
I am using stats that are available, the only sunshine stats that are available are for downtown. If you can prove there are significantly less sunny days (rather than just slightly less) elsewhere in SF then do so, but I really think its all down to exaggeration. It still doesn't change the facts that I put down about the sunny days, soon as anyone would assume I was comparing the downtown stations in all of the cities listed.
More people probably have a better idea of the weather in SF in the UK than Cali. We think most days are warm and sunny, which is correct. You think most days are foggy and chilly, which is incorrect.
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. As it gets warmer with climate change (although 1981-2010 averages are colder than 1971-2000, 1991-2020 will likely be higher than 1971-2000) it will eventually be as warm as San Deigo today 
