Santa Barbara, California Weather
Coastal fog thickens at dawn. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Santa Barbara weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Foggy——70°56°—
- ThursdayJun 4Foggy——72°56°+2°
- FridayJun 5Foggy——73°56°+1°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——68°58°-5°
- SundayJun 7Clear——69°56°+1°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——71°56°+2°
- TuesdayJun 9Partly Cloudy——73°60°+2°
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.55 with 5 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 49. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~80%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 49
- UV peak
- 9.2 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 30
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.55 with 5 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.55
- 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
Santa Barbara at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 14°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: March 14 (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
August brings Santa Barbara's peak warmth at around 69°F mean temperature, while December delivers the year's coolest conditions at roughly 56°F. January sees the heaviest rainfall at 4.4 inches, contrasting sharply with August's bone-dry 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
Santa Barbara falls within a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region, sharing similar temperature ranges, seasonal rhythms, and growing conditions with other cities in this climate family.
Similar climates: Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Diego, CA, Riverside, CA, Sacramento, CA.
Naturalist notes
By late May, California poppies reach their flowering peak across Santa Barbara's hillsides.
June marks the return of Anna's hummingbirds to their nesting territories after winter dispersal.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Santa Barbara?
- Santa Barbara's final spring frost usually occurs around mid-March, while the first fall frost returns around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in Santa Barbara?
- January delivers the heaviest rainfall with approximately 4.4 inches on average; the city receives roughly 19 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Santa Barbara?
- August typically brings the warmest conditions, averaging about 69°F.
- What is the coldest month in Santa Barbara?
- December usually marks the coldest period, averaging about 56°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Santa Barbara?
- Cool-season crops like peas and lettuce can be planted around the last spring frost in mid-March; warm-season crops such as tomatoes and peppers should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Santa Barbara get?
- Santa Barbara experiences about 25 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Santa Barbara?
- Santa Barbara's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; consult the USDA's online lookup tool with the city ZIP code for the current zone designation.
Climate
Santa Barbara, California experiences a hot-summer Mediterranean climate zone. Winter temperatures in January hover near 57°F, while July brings averages of 68°F — creating a modest 12°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Santa Barbara collects about 19 inches of precipitation distributed across roughly 25 rainy days.
Local weather patterns follow the city's latitude at 34.4°N, its proximity to large water bodies, and elevation. These factors determine what plants thrive, when frost threatens, and how daily weather unfolds.