University of California-Santa Barbara, California Weather
Coastal fog thickens at dawn. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
University of California-Santa Barbara weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Foggy——67°56°—
- ThursdayJun 4Foggy——68°56°+1°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——85°57°+17°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——77°58°-8°
- SundayJun 7Mostly Clear——82°55°+5°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——84°55°+2°
- TuesdayJun 9Partly Cloudy——88°61°+4°
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.50 with 6 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points).
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 44. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~87%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 44
- UV peak
- 9.0 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 26
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.50 with 6 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.50
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- transport
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 5:35 AM
- Moonset
- 3:21 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Coastal fog thickens at dawn
University of California-Santa Barbara at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 18°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: March 13 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 3, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
University of California-Santa Barbara's warmest month is August (~69°F mean) and its coldest is December (~56°F). Rainfall peaks in January (4.4 inches) and bottoms out in August (0.0 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57° | 4.4″ | 5 |
| February | 57° | 4.4″ | 5 |
| March | 59° | 3.2″ | 4 |
| April | 61° | 1.0″ | 2 |
| May | 63° | 0.4″ | 1 |
| June | 65° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| July | 68° | 0.0″ | 0 |
| August | 69° | 0.0″ | 0 |
| September | 69° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| October | 66° | 0.8″ | 1 |
| November | 61° | 1.4″ | 2 |
| December | 56° | 3.1″ | 4 |
Regional context
University of California-Santa Barbara sits within a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region — a cohort that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Diego, CA, Riverside, CA, Sacramento, CA.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in University of California-Santa Barbara?
- University of California-Santa Barbara's last spring frost typically falls around mid-March, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in University of California-Santa Barbara?
- January is the wettest month with about 4.4 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 19 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in University of California-Santa Barbara?
- August is typically warmest, averaging about 69°F.
- What is the coldest month in University of California-Santa Barbara?
- December is typically coldest, averaging about 56°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in University of California-Santa Barbara?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-March); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does University of California-Santa Barbara get?
- University of California-Santa Barbara averages about 25 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is University of California-Santa Barbara?
- University of California-Santa Barbara's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
University of California-Santa Barbara, California sits in a hot-summer Mediterranean climate zone. January means hover near 57°F while July averages 68°F — a 12°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, University of California-Santa Barbara receives about 19 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 25 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (34.4°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.