Will you see Golden Gate Bridge? Clear-view odds by month
Short answer: Golden Gate Bridge is most likely to be visible in November, when 84% of afternoons are free of low cloud and fog, and least likely in July (60%). Afternoons are usually clearer than mornings.
Summer fog ("Karl") rolls in through the Golden Gate on many afternoons from June to August; September and October are usually the clearest.
How often the view from Battery Spencer is clear
| Month | Clear mornings (7–9 am) | Clear afternoons (2–4 pm) | Overcast mornings |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51% | 70% | 25% |
| February | 63% | 81% | 16% |
| March | 56% | 75% | 18% |
| April | 63% | 80% | 19% |
| May | 54% | 78% | 27% |
| June | 57% | 77% | 24% |
| July | 35% | 60% | 43% |
| August | 30% | 62% | 42% |
| September | 51% | 76% | 29% |
| October | 61% | 80% | 23% |
| November | 62% | 84% | 21% |
| December | 51% | 71% | 25% |
Tours
Questions
What is the best month to see Golden Gate Bridge?
Golden Gate Bridge is most likely to be visible in November, when 84% of afternoons are free of low cloud and fog, and least likely in July (60%). Afternoons are usually clearer than mornings.
Is Golden Gate Bridge clearer in the morning or the afternoon?
Afternoons: in 12 of 12 months the sky is clear more often between 2 and 4 pm. Morning cloud and fog often lift by midday.
How often is Golden Gate Bridge hidden by cloud?
In July, 43% of mornings are overcast; in November only 21%. Summer fog ("Karl") rolls in through the Golden Gate on many afternoons from June to August; September and October are usually the clearest.
Share of days from 2016-2025 when low cloud (including fog) averaged under 30% in the given hours, from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus) via Open-Meteo, on a ~25 km grid around San Francisco, USA. Peaks can make their own cloud that the grid misses; check a webcam on the day.