San Diego, California Weather and Climate

General & Geography

With around 1.4 million inhabitants, short for SD by abbreviationfinder, San Diego is the second largest city in the US state of California after Los Angeles and the eighth largest city in the United States of America.

The metropolis extends to a total of 963.6 km² and is home to more than 1.4 million people. In California, due to its proximity to Mexico, many residents speak Spanish as well as English. Hispanics make up around 30 percent of the population in San Diego.

San Diego is located in the outer southwest of the United States. It borders the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Anza Borrego Desert Park to the east. Mexico (Tijuana) begins about 30 minutes further south.

Climate in San Diego

Due to its location directly on the Mexican border, the climate is warm and dry with a few exceptions. The warmest months are July to October. Due to the proximity to the desert, warm air flows into the city again and again. The average temperature in the summer is 25 degrees. Even in the period from November to April, the temperatures in San Diego are still around 19 degrees.

Large fluctuations are not to be expected, rain and storms are comparatively rare. The sun, on the other hand, shines all year round. Around 300 sunny days make the city a paradise for all summer lovers. The water temperature is around 21 ° C at the end of August.

In the city center and east of San Diego it is usually a little warmer than on the coast. On some days between May and August in the San Diego region, a special phenomenon can occur: the marine layer, an air mass that forms over large areas of the sea. Here, warmer amounts of air meet the coolness of the water and cover the landscape like a thin mist.

When is the best time to visit San Diego?

In principle, one can say that the summer months have the warmest temperatures and are pleasantly dry. Between May and October there is hardly any significant rainfall, the conditions are usually ideal for excursions and exploring the region. However, the water temperatures are only suitable for bathing from around the beginning of June.

We therefore recommend June up to and including October as the best travel time for San Diego. The main season, with a correspondingly large number of visitors and sometimes very high hotel prices, are the months of July and August. It gets very busy around Independence Day in early July. From September the number of tourists slowly declines, which is why the peripheral months of May, September and October are particularly popular.

Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine

Temperatures

The annual average temperature is 17.9 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (22.5 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 14 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 21 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All but January, February, March and December have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of July and August have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 253 mm. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.

Sunshine

As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sunshine is 8.4 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.

Cities nearby

The following major towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Tijuana, Chula Vista, Escondido and Oceanside.

Sights & attractions

The La Jolla Shores offer a variety of options. Snorkeling with the leopard sharks sounds dangerous at first. But don’t worry, the animals are harmless to humans. The summer months offer the greatest opportunities to see the sharks up close. You can also spot sea lions in their natural habitat at La Jolla Cove. But that’s not all: the miles of white beaches of the ocean paradise attract thousands of surfers every year. A nice pastime after water sports is a stroll past the shops, numerous cafes and restaurants. Here you can enjoy brunch or a romantic dinner on the beach with a view of the waves.

In the San Diego Zoo over 3,700 animals can be observed in the area of ​​40 hA. The area is divided into different, thematically structured areas. These include the Urban Jungle, where gazelles, camels and Indian rhinos live, or the Ituri Forest, an exhibition that houses rare African animals. Every year, an average of 3.2 million visitors come in, making this one of the most visited zoos in America.

An insider tip, located at the northeast end of Coronardo, is Coronardo Bayview Park. The view is breathtaking – you can see the skyline of San Diego from here. In the evening, when the sun slowly goes down, it bathes the city in a golden light. To get to the park, simply take the ferry to Coronardo Island.

San Diego weather in March, April, and May

Daily temperatures averaging 19 to 21 ° C can be expected over the next three months. The temperatures hardly fluctuate during this time.

Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 16-17 ° C.

In the period from March to May , the sun shines on average between 8 and 9 hours a day. The sunniest weather is April in San Diego, with a little less sun you will have to get by in March.