February in San Francisco is cool and often wet, with an average high of 60.4°F (15.8°C), a low of 47.9°F (8.8°C) and 4.37 inches of rain on about 11 days at the downtown station. It is also the month spring starts: days lengthen by about an hour, and a few afternoons reach 70°F.
February is San Francisco's all-or-nothing month. In February 2020, downtown recorded no measurable rain at all. Twenty-two years earlier, February 1998 brought 14.89 inches, still the city's wettest February on record.
What Is February Weather Like in San Francisco?
February weather in San Francisco is cool, green and unpredictable, with highs around 60°F and measurable rain on about one day in three. There are two kinds of February, a stormy one and a springlike one, and you rarely know which you will get until the week before.
| Average high / low | 60.4°F (15.8°C) / 47.9°F (8.8°C) |
|---|---|
| Average rain | 4.37 in (111 mm) |
| Days with rain | About 11 (0.01 in or more) |
| Days at 70°F or warmer | About 3 |
| Wettest / driest February | 14.89 in (1998) / 0.00 in (2020) |
| Chance of rain on Valentine's Day | 23% (1991-2020) |
| Sunset | About 5:31 PM on Feb 1, 6:01 PM on Feb 28 |
San Francisco Downtown station (USW00023272), NOAA 1991-2020 normals and daily records via RCC-ACIS. Sunset times are computed for downtown San Francisco.
Will You Get a Stormy February or a Dry One?
February swings from deluge to drought in San Francisco. Over the last ten years, February rain ranged from none in 2020 to 7.94 inches in 2019, and four of those Februaries brought less than an inch. The 4.37-inch normal is an average of extremes, not a typical month.
From 1991 to 2020, 53% of Februaries beat the normal, yet 20% got less than an inch. Strong El Niño winters do not settle the question either: February brought 8.06 inches in 1983 and 14.89 inches in 1998, but just 0.98 inch in 2016. See the monthly rainfall breakdown and the El Niño guide for this winter's outlook.
When the storms stay away, February feels less like winter and more like an early spring.
When Does Spring Start to Show in February?
Spring starts to show in February as the days warm and lengthen. Days that reach 65°F or warmer nearly double from January, from about 4 to about 7, and about 3 February days reach 70°F. The record is 81°F, set on February 26, 1986.
Daylight grows by about an hour over the month, with sunset moving from about 5:31 PM to 6:01 PM. The hills reach their deepest green after the winter rains, flowering plum trees bloom along city streets, and the first wildflowers appear before the March peak. For how the year turns, see the Bay Area's four seasons.
What Is Valentine's Day Weather Like in San Francisco?
Valentine's Day in San Francisco is usually mild and dry: February 14 averages a high of 62.6°F and a low of 48.0°F, and measurable rain fell on 23% of Valentine's Days from 1991 to 2020. The warmest reached 77°F in 1977, and the wettest brought 1.78 inches in 1986.
Sunset comes at about 5:46 PM, so a view dinner or a walk at a hilltop like Twin Peaks is best timed for late afternoon. After dark, temperatures slide toward the upper 40s, so bring a jacket.
What Is the Weather Like for the Chinese New Year Parade?
San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade falls on February 20, 2027, and late-February evenings downtown are cool, with normal highs near 61°F and lows near 48°F. About one February day in three brings measurable rain, so bring a warm layer and a rain shell for standing at the curb after dark.
Check the Chinatown forecast during parade week for rain timing.
Does It Ever Snow in the Bay Area in February?
Snow almost never falls in San Francisco, but Bay Area peaks get snow in late-winter cold storms. The city's last measurable snow fell on February 5, 1976. Read more in does it snow in San Francisco.
On February 23 and 24, 2023, a cold storm dropped about 14 inches of snow on Mount Hamilton, the most in the region, according to the National Weather Service. Snow also whitened Mount Tamalpais, Russian Ridge and the hills around Angwin, and Highway 17 closed between San Jose and Santa Cruz. See where to see snow in the Bay Area.
Is February a Good Time to Visit San Francisco?
February is a good time to visit San Francisco if you can live with the coin flip. You get green hills, blossoms, longer days and smaller crowds, but you should keep an indoor backup for storm days. Pack layers, a waterproof jacket and closed shoes.
Check the San Francisco forecast a week out to see whether you are getting a stormy or springlike February. For a green-hills hike, pick the first dry day after a storm, check trail conditions with the park agency, and read how the wet season winds down.