Winter
Dec → Feb19°
nights 8 to 9°
- 5 rainy days · 101 mm
When is the best time to visit Santa Barbara?
- Jan19°not recommended
- Feb19°not recommended
- Mar20°fair
- Apr22°recommended
- May22°recommended
- Jun23°recommended
- Jul25°fair
- Aug25°fair
- Sep25°recommended
- Oct24°recommended
- Nov22°fair
- Dec19°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Santa Barbara, month by month
The table of averages, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 8° | 113 mm | 6 d | |
| February | 19° | 9° | 112 mm | 6 d | |
| March | 20° | 10° | 81 mm | 5 d | |
| April | 22° | 11° | 26 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| May | 22° | 12° | 10 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| June | 23° | 14° | 4 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| July | 25° | 16° | 0 mm | 0 d | |
| August | 25° | 16° | 0 mm | 0 d | |
| September | 25° | 15° | 1 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| October | 24° | 13° | 21 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| November | 22° | 10° | 36 mm | 3 d | |
| December | 19° | 8° | 78 mm | 4 d |
The four seasons in Santa Barbara, in figures
What the 2015-2024 averages (Santa Barbara) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May20 to 22°
nights 10 to 12°
- 3 rainy days · 39 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug23 to 25°
nights 14 to 16°
- 0 rainy days · 1 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov22 to 25°
nights 10 to 15°
- 2 rainy days · 19 mm
Book early for April to June and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Santa Barbara, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 14h27 of daylight, in December 9h52, a difference of 4h35.
10h05Jan
10h54Feb
11h53Mar
13hApr
13h57May
14h27Jun
14h14Jul
13h26Aug
12h20Sep
11h15Oct
10h19Nov
9h52Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Santa Barbara" (34.42°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Santa Barbara, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long days |
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Sightseeing & walks: good conditions all twelve months.
- Long days: June, July
Grid derived from the climate averages (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended19°8° at night
- 113 mm · 6 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended19°9° at night
- 112 mm · 6 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair20°10° at night
- 81 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended22°11° at night
- 26 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended22°12° at night
- 10 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended23°14° at night
- 4 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair25°16° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair25°16° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended25°15° at night
- 1 mm · 0 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended24°13° at night
- 21 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair22°10° at night
- 36 mm · 3 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended19°8° at night
- 78 mm · 4 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 113 mm over 6 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 112 mm over 6 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 81 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (26 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (10 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (4 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
July. 25 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Busy season, without the crush.
August. 25 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Busy season, without the crush.
September. 25 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C at night. Hardly any rain (1 mm over 0 days). Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (21 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
November. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (36 mm over 3 days). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 78 mm over 4 days. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Santa Barbara?
April to June and September to October: over these months, average highs range from 22 to 25 °C, with 1 day of rain a month on average (2015-2024 averages, Santa Barbara).
Which month should you avoid in Santa Barbara?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 113 mm over 6 days of rain on average over 2015-2024 at the reference point (Santa Barbara).
What is the hottest month in Santa Barbara?
July, with 25 °C on average in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Santa Barbara).
What is the coldest month in Santa Barbara?
January, with 19 °C at best during the day and 8 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Santa Barbara).
What is the driest month in Santa Barbara?
July: 0 mm over 0 days of rain, against 113 mm in January, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Santa Barbara?
The gap between day and night reaches 12 °C in November: 22 °C in the afternoon, 10 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Santa Barbara guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit the American West: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Damian Gadal / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Daderot / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · imke.sta / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Allie_Caulfield / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Frank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Archinia / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Ligocsicnarf89 / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Thomas Camargo / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)