Best time to visit San Jose
The best time to visit San Jose is April–October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
San Jose, California, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.5 °C / 58 °F | 6 °C / 43 °F | 117 mm / 4.6 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 15.4 °C / 60 °F | 6.4 °C / 44 °F | 116 mm / 4.6 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 16.3 °C / 61 °F | 7.3 °C / 45 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 18.4 °C / 65 °F | 8.4 °C / 47 °F | 41 mm / 1.6 in | best month |
| May | 20.6 °C / 69 °F | 10 °C / 50 °F | 16 mm / 0.6 in | best month |
| June | 23.6 °C / 74 °F | 11.8 °C / 53 °F | 3 mm / 0.1 in | best month |
| July | 25.2 °C / 77 °F | 13.3 °C / 56 °F | 1 mm / 0 in | best month |
| August | 25.6 °C / 78 °F | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 0 mm / 0 in | best month |
| September | 25.4 °C / 78 °F | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 5 mm / 0.2 in | best month |
| October | 22.6 °C / 73 °F | 11.5 °C / 53 °F | 31 mm / 1.2 in | best month |
| November | 17.7 °C / 64 °F | 8 °C / 46 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | good month |
| December | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 5.9 °C / 43 °F | 113 mm / 4.5 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–October
- Good
- November
Warmer and sunnier than the coast, San Jose is best for exploring from April through October, with a decent but rainier November; December through March are cool, wet and the year's dullest, with January and February the wettest.
Why these months
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.6 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 18.4 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, average daily low 8.4 °C / 47 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: days with heavy rain 1.4 days, precipitation 41 mm / 1.6 in, wet days 5 days.
Also on: Nikkei Matsuri Festival, Sake San Jose, SoFa Street Fair.
Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.3 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 20.6 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, average daily low 10 °C / 50 °F, relative humidity 69%.
Also on: 5 de Mayo (Cinco de Mayo celebration), Nikkei Matsuri Festival, Sake San Jose.
Watch out for: Memorial Day closures.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.1 °C / 75 °F, average daily high 23.6 °C / 74 °F, precipitation 3 mm / 0.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 0.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 11.8 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 67%.
Also on: Juneteenth in the Park, San Jose Fountain Blues & Brews Festival, San Jose Greek Festival, Starlight Cinemas (outdoor movies), SubZERO Festival.
Watch out for: Juneteenth closures.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.4 °C / 80 °F, average daily high 25.2 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 1 mm / 0 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 0.2 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, average daily low 13.3 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 67%.
Also on: Fourth of July fireworks over the city, Obon Festival, Starlight Cinemas (outdoor movies).
Watch out for: Independence Day closures.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.5 °C / 80 °F, average daily high 25.6 °C / 78 °F, precipitation 0 mm / 0 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 0.1 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, average daily low 13.9 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Also on: Italian Family Festa, Jazz Summer Fest, Music in the Park, San Jose Renaissance Faire and Fantasy Fest, Santa Clara County Fair, SiliCon, Silicon Valley Pride, Starlight Cinemas (outdoor movies).
Watch out for: Fire season / smoky skies.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.4 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 25.4 °C / 78 °F, precipitation 5 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 0.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 13.9 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 66%.
Also on: Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival, Bacon and Beer Classic, Bark in the Park San Jose, Lil' Easy Backyard Party, Luna Park Chalk Art Festival, Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival, SoFa Street Fair.
Watch out for: Fire season / smoky skies, Labor Day closures.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.4 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 22.6 °C / 73 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, average daily low 11.5 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 65%.
Against: precipitation 31 mm / 1.2 in.
Also on: Dia San Jose, Little Italy San Jose Street Festival, Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, San Jose International Short Film Festival, Water Lantern Festival.
Watch out for: Fire season / smoky skies, Halloween closures.
November · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, average daily high 17.7 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 8 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: days with heavy rain 2 days, precipitation 60 mm / 2.4 in, wet days 5.8 days, sunshine per day 8.8 h.
Also on: Christmas in the Park.
Watch out for: Thanksgiving closures and airport crowds, Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday travel rush, Veterans Day closures.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Dodge Ridge Ski Area, 196 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 12.6 °C | 13.4 °C | 14.9 °C | 17.6 °C | 20.3 °C | 24.1 °C | 26.4 °C | 26.5 °C | 25.4 °C | 21.4 °C | 16 °C | 12.1 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 3.5 days | 4.2 days | 3.5 days | 1.4 days | 0.5 days | 0.1 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0.1 days | 0.8 days | 2 days | 3.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 12 pm | 12 pm | 2 pm | 1 pm | 12 am | 2 pm | 3 pm | 1 pm | 5 am |
| Sunshine per day | 7.8 h | 9 h | 10 h | 11.5 h | 13.1 h | 13.6 h | 13.7 h | 12.8 h | 11.8 h | 10.1 h | 8.8 h | 7.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 75% | 73% | 73% | 71% | 69% | 67% | 67% | 68% | 66% | 65% | 71% | 75% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 9.1 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | 9.2 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 15.3 µg/m³ | 15.8 µg/m³ | 13.8 µg/m³ | 14.3 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ | 10.2 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 13.3 µg/m³ | 15.8 µg/m³ | 16.8 µg/m³ | 17.9 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- The Bloody Mary Festival
January
- Jazz Winter Fest
February
- Whale sightings from Bay Area beaches
February
- Cinequest Film Festival
March
- San Jose Shamrock Run
March
- Sake San Jose
March, April and May
- Nikkei Matsuri Festival
20 April–5 May
- SoFa Street Fair
April and September
- 5 de Mayo (Cinco de Mayo celebration)
1–10 May, dates vary from year to year
- Starlight Cinemas (outdoor movies)
June, July and August
- San Jose Greek Festival
June
- SubZERO Festival
June
- San Jose Fountain Blues & Brews Festival
June
- Juneteenth in the Park
19 June
- Obon Festival
8–14 July, dates vary from year to year
- Fourth of July fireworks over the city
4 July
- Silicon Valley Pride
August
- Santa Clara County Fair
August
- Italian Family Festa
August
- San Jose Renaissance Faire and Fantasy Fest
August
- SiliCon
August
- Music in the Park
August
- Jazz Summer Fest
August
- Bark in the Park San Jose
September
- Luna Park Chalk Art Festival
September
- Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival
September
- Lil' Easy Backyard Party
September
- Bacon and Beer Classic
September
- Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival
September
- Dia San Jose
October
- Little Italy San Jose Street Festival
October
- San Jose International Short Film Festival
October
- Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
October
- Water Lantern Festival
October
- Christmas in the Park
November and December
- Santa Run Silicon Valley
December
- SantaCon
December
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day closures
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures
January
- Presidents' Day closures
February
- Good Friday closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day closures
May
- Juneteenth closures
19 June
- Independence Day closures
4 July
- Fire season / smoky skies
August, September and October
- Labor Day closures
September
- Halloween closures
31 October
- Veterans Day closures
11 November
- Thanksgiving closures and airport crowds
November, dates vary from year to year
- Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday travel rush
November and December, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas closures
24–25 December