Our verdict
The best time to visit Santa Barbara is March-April
In the height of summer, temperatures in Santa Barbara can reach a maximum of 29℃ (84℉). In the winter months, it can get down to as low as 7℃ (44℉) at night.
The sun stays up the longest in Santa Barbara in July, so you’ll get the most out of your daytime activities if you visit around this time. The wet season in Santa Barbara usually falls during the months surrounding January each year. It’s not uncommon to get some decent rainfall or light showers during this time, but on some days the weather tends to be fine for a majority of the day, with only a few drops of rain falling from a passing shower.
Learn more about when to travel to Santa Barbara, the monthly weather breakdown, FAQs and much more below. Once you’ve decided when you want to go, use our handy tools to find the best prices to suit your budget on flights, transport/transfers, places to stay, and loads more!
Quick links: Fast facts / Seasons / Average temperatures / Monthly climate / FAQs / Map
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Santa Barbara seasons
Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Santa Barbara as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Santa Barbara is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:
| Season | Months |
|---|---|
| Summer | June to August |
| Autumn/fall | September to November |
| Winter | December to February |
| Spring | March to May |
Average temperatures in Santa Barbara
If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Santa Barbara for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.
Santa Barbara climate by month
If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Santa Barbara for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.
Jump to:
Santa Barbara in January
- Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
- Average high temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
- Average low temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
- Average humidity: 59%
- Average sunny days: 25 days
- Average rainfall: 40mm (2") over 5 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in January, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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Santa Barbara in February
- Average temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
- Average high temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
- Average low temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
- Average humidity: 62%
- Average sunny days: 22 days
- Average rainfall: 35mm (1") over 6 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in February, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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Santa Barbara in March
- Average temperature: 13℃ (56℉)
- Average high temperature: 17℃ (63℉)
- Average low temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
- Average humidity: 64%
- Average sunny days: 23 days
- Average rainfall: 37mm (1") over 7 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in March, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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Santa Barbara in April
- Average temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
- Average high temperature: 19℃ (67℉)
- Average low temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
- Average humidity: 61%
- Average sunny days: 25 days
- Average rainfall: 14mm (1") over 5 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in April, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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Santa Barbara in May
- Average temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
- Average high temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
- Average low temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
- Average humidity: 62%
- Average sunny days: 27 days
- Average rainfall: 4mm (0") over 2 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in May, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.
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Santa Barbara in June
- Average temperature: 19℃ (66℉)
- Average high temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
- Average low temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
- Average humidity: 61%
- Average sunny days: 27 days
- Average rainfall: 2mm (0") over 1 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in June, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
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Santa Barbara in July
- Average temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
- Average high temperature: 25℃ (78℉)
- Average low temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
- Average humidity: 61%
- Average sunny days: 25 days
- Average rainfall: 6mm (0") over 4 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in July, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
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Santa Barbara in August
- Average temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
- Average high temperature: 26℃ (78℉)
- Average low temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
- Average humidity: 58%
- Average sunny days: 28 days
- Average rainfall: 2mm (0") over 1 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in August, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
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Santa Barbara in September
- Average temperature: 21℃ (69℉)
- Average high temperature: 25℃ (78℉)
- Average low temperature: 16℃ (62℉)
- Average humidity: 56%
- Average sunny days: 26 days
- Average rainfall: 3mm (0") over 2 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in September, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
Santa Barbara in October
- Average temperature: 18℃ (65℉)
- Average high temperature: 23℃ (73℉)
- Average low temperature: 15℃ (58℉)
- Average humidity: 56%
- Average sunny days: 28 days
- Average rainfall: 5mm (0") over 2 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in October, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.
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Santa Barbara in November
- Average temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
- Average high temperature: 19℃ (67℉)
- Average low temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
- Average humidity: 56%
- Average sunny days: 26 days
- Average rainfall: 13mm (1") over 3 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in November, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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Santa Barbara in December
- Average temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
- Average high temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
- Average low temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
- Average humidity: 59%
- Average sunny days: 25 days
- Average rainfall: 34mm (1") over 6 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Santa Barbara in December, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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