Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–73°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Partly sunny52°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny53°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Mostly sunny51°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny62°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny54°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny69°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny66°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny73°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny70°F - WedOct 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny53°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny51°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Sunny52°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny62°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny63°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny75°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny75°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny80°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny76°F - ThuOct 15
CautionGusts to 33 mph near Santa Clarita around 12:30 PM PDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny54°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny55°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Sunny53°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny66°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny64°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny80°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny82°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny87°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny84°F - FriOct 16
HighGusts to 48 mph near Santa Clarita around 12:30 PM PDT. Also at 3 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny58°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny60°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Sunny58°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny70°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny67°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny81°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny87°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny90°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny87°F - SatOct 17
CautionGusts to 30 mph near Tejon Pass around 11:45 AM PDT. Also at 1 other checkpoint.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny60°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny62°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Sunny61°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny73°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny68°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny83°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny86°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny88°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny86°F - SunOct 18
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 58–87°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny58°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny61°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Sunny60°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny73°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny70°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny84°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny85°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny87°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny87°F - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 56–83°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny56°F Tracy8 AM PDT Sunny58°F Patterson8:15 AM PDT Sunny56°F Kettleman City10:15 AM PDT Sunny70°F Tejon Pass11:45 AM PDT Sunny70°F Santa Clarita12:30 PM PDT Sunny82°F Los Angeles1 PM PDT Sunny82°F Irvine1:30 PM PDT Sunny83°F San Diego3 PM PDT Sunny82°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from San Francisco (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- San Francisco, CAStart 79 ftelevation
- Tracy, CAMile 60 · 1 h 1 min 55 ftelevation
- Patterson, CAMile 83 · 1 h 22 min 100 ftelevation
- Kettleman City, CAMile 206 · 3 h 13 min 249 ftelevation
- Tejon Pass, CAMountain pass · Mile 312 · 4 h 49 min 4,160 ftelevation
- Santa Clarita, CAMile 347 · 5 h 23 min 1,151 ftelevation
- Los Angeles, CAMile 382 · 5 h 58 min 284 ftelevation
- Irvine, CAMile 416 · 6 h 32 min 47 ftelevation
- San Diego, CAMile 500 · 7 h 56 min 41 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at San Francisco, Tejon Pass and San Diego.
| Month | San Francisco 150 ft | Tejon Pass Sandberg station · 4,510 ft | San Diego 15 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | High / low °F | High / low °F | |
| Jan | 58° / 47° | 52° / 39° | 66° / 50° |
| Feb | 60° / 48° | 53° / 38° | 66° / 52° |
| Mar | 62° / 49° | 57° / 41° | 67° / 55° |
| Apr | 63° / 50° | 62° / 43° | 69° / 57° |
| May | 64° / 51° | 70° / 49° | 70° / 60° |
| Jun | 67° / 53° | 80° / 58° | 72° / 63° |
| Jul | 66° / 54° | 88° / 65° | 75° / 66° |
| Aug | 68° / 56° | 88° / 65° | 77° / 68° |
| Sep | 70° / 56° | 83° / 61° | 77° / 66° |
| Oct | 70° / 54° | 71° / 53° | 75° / 62° |
| Nov | 64° / 51° | 60° / 44° | 71° / 55° |
| Dec | 58° / 47° | 52° / 38° | 66° / 50° |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: SAN FRANCISCO DWTN (USW00023272, 150 ft); SANDBERG (USW00023187, 4,510 ft); SAN DIEGO LINDBERGH FLD (USW00023188, 15 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for California rather than repeat them.
- For this passCaltrans I-5 highway conditions
- California · CaltransQuickMap conditions and cameras
- California · winter rulesChain controls
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from San Francisco to San Diego with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from San Francisco to San Diego?
500 miles, about 8 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-5. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Tejon Pass, at 4,160 ft. It comes at mile 312, about 4 h 49 min of driving after you leave San Francisco.
How cold is Tejon Pass in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Sandberg (4,510 ft), averages a high of 52°F and a low of 39°F in January (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is San Diego in January?
San Diego averages a high of 66°F and a low of 50°F in January (1991–2020 normals).