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What to pack for San Francisco in August
Typical August, built from ten years of weather
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Typical for your dates
Highs 68°F, lows 57°F, rain 0 of 31 days
windyhigh UVdry
Sunset lands around 8:00pm. Wind averages 17 mph. No border paperwork on this one.
0 of 42 packed
Packing for
33 things on this list are on sale today
Essentials
10 items
UV index of 9.3 burns skin fast, even on cool days.
Glare off the bay and pavement strains eyes without polarized lenses.
Humidity at 81 percent keeps mosquitoes active near the bay.
Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.
Cuts from rocky beaches and minor injuries need basic supplies.
Phone and camera drain fast with 13.6 hours of daylight and constant walking.
Overhead bins are tight on regional flights in and out.
Day trips to parks and the coast need dedicated bag space.
Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.
For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.
Before you go
2 to sort
Recommended
10 items
Coastal wind cuts through a t-shirt fast.
Wind at 27 km/h funnels through the city and cuts exposed skin.
UV hits 9.3 here. Long sleeves beat reapplying sunscreen every hour.
Thirteen hours of daylight means long exposure to intense August sun.
Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.
Tap water is safe but refilling beats carrying bottles uphill.
One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.
Busy airports and crowded transit make bags easy to lose.
Fog and salt air mix with urban dust on clothes.
Laundry costs add up fast on a month-long visit.
Nice to have
6 items you could skip
Lips crack and peel in coastal wind and high UV.
Crowded urban transit spreads germs between tourists and locals.
Bites swell in heat and sun damage makes them worse.
Multiple devices need charging and outlets are scarce in transit.
Domestic travel still requires locks on checked bags.
Salt spray and fog settle on skin and hair throughout the day.
Basics
16 things you probably own already