San Diego is known for its sunshine, though it’s not immune to cloudy days either. With a mix of sunny skies and light cloud cover for most of the year, most visitors find the weather to be favorable no matter the season.
Many vacationers worry about seasonal events in San Diego’s weather such as “May Gray” and “June Gloom” when they plan their trips. These refer to San Diego’s tendency for more overcast days during these two months. However, the data doesn’t lie: San Diego experiences far more sunny days than it does cloudy ones, even when accounting for May and June.
As you can see from the chart, San Diego, as reported from San Diego International Airport - Lindbergh Field in the coastal area, is blessed with, on average, 146 clear days per year. A further 117 days are classified as “partly cloudy” during daylight hours. Even these days typically get enough sun to allow for outdoor activities like dining at sidewalk cafes or heading out to the San Diego Bay on a sportfishing expedition.
That’s certainly not bad, especially when you consider that San Diego experiences well above average rates of sunshine. The county’s reputation for its pleasant weather and incredible climate is well-earned, and there’s very little chance of getting unexpectedly rained out or having to cancel any planned activities due to overcast weather.
San Diego Coastal Cloudiness Weather Chart
Mean # of Days: Clear, Partly Cloudy & Cloudy
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
12
10
11
10
8
9
13
15
15
14
15
14
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
12
10
10
8
8
11
10
11
10
11
9
5
4
6
8
7
10