Santa Barbara, CA climate
Santa Barbara has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Santa Barbara feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Santa Barbara weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65° | 44° | 4.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| February | 65° | 45° | 4.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| March | 66° | 47° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| April | 69° | 49° | 1.1" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 55° – 62° |
| May | 70° | 52° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| June | 72° | 55° | 0.1" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| July | 75° | 58° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| August | 77° | 58° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 77° | 57° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| October | 75° | 53° | 0.8" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 59° – 72° |
| November | 70° | 48° | 1.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| December | 65° | 44° | 3.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 52° – 57° |
| Year | 70° | 51° | 20.2" | 0.0" | 41 | 0 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 41 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Santa Barbara
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Santa Barbara, 73% of that work is heating and 27% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Santa Barbara and its neighbors
Santa Barbara borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.0°. Mission Canyon has both the coldest January nights (44°) and the hottest July afternoons (75°). Santa Barbara’s January low is 44° and its July high 75°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Santa Barbara compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Santa Barbara averaged 2.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Santa Barbara’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 51° to 63°. December is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Santa Barbara’s climate
What is the coldest month in Santa Barbara?
December, with a typical high of 65° and a low of 44°.
What is the hottest month in Santa Barbara?
August, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 58°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Santa Barbara get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Santa Barbara?
Frost is uncommon. Only 11% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Santa Barbara?
February, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Santa Barbara itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Santa Barbara, CA (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.