What to Wear in San Francisco in Summer: Month-by-Month Outfit Guide
San Francisco in summer sits in the 60 to 70°F range. This is the layer-by-layer outfit guide for San Francisco's summer weather — what to wear, what to pack for a visit, and the local context that shapes the recommendations.
WHAT TO EXPECT
San Francisco in summer — June, July, August. June through August. The famous SF summer. 60-70°F days, often foggy mornings and evenings. Sweaters, jackets, often pants instead of shorts. Tourists in shorts and t-shirts are easy to spot. The temperature range is the headline; what you actually feel depends on humidity, wind, and what indoor spaces you'll cycle through.
THE FOUNDATION LAYER
A standard cotton or synthetic shirt is fine. The base layer is conversation-piece territory — not survival.
THE MID LAYER
Optional. A light cardigan or unstructured blazer handles cool mornings and air-conditioned interiors.
THE OUTERWEAR
Optional. A linen blazer or light overshirt handles cool evenings and indoor air conditioning.
ACCESSORIES
A scarf for cool mornings, a packable umbrella, and shoes you can walk in for an hour.
WHAT TO PACK FOR A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO IN SUMMER
Three layer permutations covering the 60 to 70°F range, plus accessories. If your trip spans the season's edge (late May or early September), pack toward the cooler end of the range — overestimating warmth is easier to recover from than underestimating.
LOCAL CONTEXT
Layer aggressively. Always pack a sweater and a windbreaker, even in July. Microclimates are extreme — Mission can be 15°F warmer than Outer Sunset on the same day.