Santa Maria, TX climate
Santa Maria has warm winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 97°, a January night drops to 51°, 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 | 72° | 51° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| February | 76° | 55° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 58° – 73° |
| March | 81° | 61° | 1.3" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| April | 87° | 66° | 1.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 71° – 81° |
| May | 91° | 72° | 2.2" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 77° – 85° |
| June | 95° | 75° | 2.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 83° – 89° |
| July | 97° | 76° | 2.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 83° – 89° |
| August | 98° | 76° | 1.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 85° – 90° |
| September | 93° | 73° | 5.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 80° – 86° |
| October | 88° | 66° | 2.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 75° – 81° |
| November | 80° | 59° | 1.5" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| December | 73° | 52° | 1.2" | 0.2" | 5 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| Year | 86° | 65° | 24.4" | 0.2" | 57 | 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 24 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 57 days a year.
A year-round growing season
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, 11% of that work is heating and 89% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.3°). The shift is larger than in 53% 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. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 58° to 73°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Santa Maria’s climate
What is the coldest month in Santa Maria?
January, with a typical high of 72° and a low of 51°.
What is the hottest month in Santa Maria?
August, with a typical high of 98° and a low of 76°. About 151 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Santa Maria get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.2 inches.
When is the first frost in Santa Maria?
Frost is uncommon. Only 31% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Santa Maria?
September, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 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 Mercedes 6 Sse, TX (3 mi, snow) and Harlingen, TX (14 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.