Santa Maria, CA climate
Santa Maria has warm winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Santa Maria feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Santa Maria 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 | 64° | 42° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| February | 65° | 43° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| March | 67° | 45° | 2.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| April | 69° | 46° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| June | 75° | 52° | 0.0" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| July | 77° | 55° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| August | 78° | 55° | 0.0" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| September | 78° | 54° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| October | 76° | 50° | 0.6" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| November | 70° | 45° | 1.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| December | 64° | 41° | 2.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| Year | 71° | 48° | 14.6" | 0.0" | 51 | 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 Maria
Santa Maria gets 15 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 51 days a year.
About 315 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 4 and the first one by December 13. That leaves about 315 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Santa Maria
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Santa Maria, 94% of that work is heating and 6% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
How Santa Maria 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 Maria averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Santa Maria’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 50° to 62°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Santa Maria’s climate
What is the coldest month in Santa Maria?
December, with a typical high of 64° and a low of 41°.
What is the hottest month in Santa Maria?
September, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Santa Maria get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Santa Maria?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 13, and the last spring frost by February 4.
What is the rainiest month in Santa Maria?
February, with 3.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 15 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Santa Maria itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Twitchell Dam, CA (8 mi, snow) and Santa Maria Public Airport, CA (2 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.