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Santa Barbara, California Weather

Summer heat deepens across the valleys. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Santa Barbara weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Santa Barbara, CA
Sunday, July 5 at 10:56 AM
73
°
Clear
Feels like
77°
Humidity
63%
Wind
5 mph
Sunrise
10:52 PM
Sunset
1:14 PM
Santa Barbara, CA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastSanta Barbara, CA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 58 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 58°H 76°
Santa Barbara, CA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Foggy
    —
    —
    76°58°—
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Foggy
    —
    —
    78°58°+2°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Foggy
    —
    —
    79°60°+1°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Clear
    —
    —
    80°65°+1°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Clear
    —
    —
    82°66°+2°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    78°64°-4°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Overcast
    —
    —
    76°64°-2°
Santa Barbara, CA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
54°67°80°6a12p6p12anow 70°high 76°low 58°
Santa Barbara, CA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SSE
157° · backing 26°
Direction
SSE
157°
Sustained
5
mph
Gust
5
mph
Peak 24h
12
avg 5
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 5 · pk 12 @ 8:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 156SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Santa Barbara, CA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1009.8
0.0 mb in 3h · steady · 29.82 inHg
Now
1009.8
mb
3h
0.0
mb
12h
-0.8
mb
24h
-2.0
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1009–1011
1000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1011.31008.91009.1
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
Santa Barbara, CA
Air quality
34
AQI
Good
→+2 in 6h

AQI 34 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 7.3 µg/m³ (AQI 41) with a 0.74 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
7.3μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
1μg/m³
OzoneModerate
70μg/m³
UV IndexHigh
6.3

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 33 now. With UV 8.9 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 39 around 1 PM.

Present
AQI 33
UV peak
8.9 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 39

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 7.3 µg/m³ (AQI 41) with a 0.74 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.74
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

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).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Santa Barbara, CA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
6%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
53.2mi
UNLIMITED
74 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
17:56 UTC · Santa Barbara, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
17:56 UTC · Santa Barbara, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Santa Barbara, CA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Santa Barbara, CA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Santa Barbara, CA
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:23 AM
Sunrise
10:52 PM
Daylight
14h 22m
Sunset
1:14 PM
Civil dusk
8:45 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Santa Barbara, CA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
71% illuminated
Moonrise
11:15 PM
Moonset
11:18 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Santa Barbara, CA
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Summer heat deepens across the valleys

weather
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Santa Barbara at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 4°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 14 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 93101, 93103, 93105, 93106, 93108, 93109, 93110, 93111

16-Day Forecast — Santa Barbara

  1. Sun76°58°6%
  2. Mon78°58°0%
  3. Tue79°60°0%
  4. Wed80°65°0%
  5. Thu82°66°1%
  6. Fri78°64°3%
  7. Sat76°64°4%
  8. Sun73°64°3%
  9. Mon83°66°8%
  10. Tue86°71°3%
  11. Wed85°69°2%
  12. Thu87°71°3%
  13. Fri86°74°3%
  14. Sat82°71°10%
  15. Sun85°74°10%
  16. Mon85°69°10%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Santa Barbara

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, 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.

January 1–5: New year in coastal mist.January 6–10: Hills hold the winter cold.January 11–15: Light lengthens over wet earth.January 16–20: The green pulse quickens.January 21–25: Spring green spreads inland.January 26–31: Winter's grip releases.February 1–5: Fog lifts, flowers open.February 6–10: Blooms erupt across chaparral.February 11–15: Winter blooms at their peak.February 16–20: Rivers recede, flowers spread.February 21–25: Earth warms, flowers rush upslope.February 26–28: Spring advances on cool winds.March 1–5: Grass and trees bud and break.March 6–10: Insects wake and feed.March 11–15: Blossoms crown the hillsides.March 16–20: Monarch chrysalis emergence.March 21–25: Light overtakes dark at equinox.March 26–31: California poppy ablaze.April 1–5: Spring rain feeds the seedlings.April 6–10: Warblers flood the understory.April 11–15: Allen's hummingbirds in courtship dives.April 16–20: Coastal fog settles; sun breaks midday.April 21–25: Oak canopies full and green.April 26–30: Chaparral awakens after spring rains.May 1–5: Coastal wildflowers at their peak.May 6–10: Gray whales complete their migration north.May 11–15: Redwood coast in cool shade.May 16–20: Fog and sun in daily rhythm.May 21–25: Summer approaches; hills turn gold.May 26–31: Dry season begins; tule fog in valleys.June 1–5: Coastal fog thickens at dawn.June 6–10: California poppies fade as heat rises.June 11–15: Summer solstice light stretched thin.June 16–20: Bay laurel fragrance sweetens shade.June 21–25: Longest daylight, driest air.June 26–30: Fog banks mask the turning tide.July 1–5: Summer heat deepens across the valleys.July 6–10: Warm winds drive dryness inland.July 11–15: Pacific high settles in firmly.July 16–20: Young hawks take to the thermals.July 21–25: Peak fire season, peak heat.July 26–31: Chaparral poised for ignition.August 1–5: August begins in scorching stillness.August 6–10: Autumn's first cool breath arrives.August 11–15: Cool winds signal the turning year.August 16–20: Evening cicada chorus.August 21–25: Marine layer descent.August 26–31: Monarch staging begins.September 1–5: Fire season intensity.September 6–10: Dew on drying grasses.September 11–15: Raptor passage begins.September 16–20: Equinox descent.September 21–25: Ceanothus blooms again.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Creeks begin to whisper.October 6–10: Santa Ana wind season.October 11–15: Wildflower anticipation.October 16–20: Chaparral embers glow.October 21–25: First atmospheric river looms.October 26–31: Rains return at last.November 1–5: Coast live oak leaves turn amber.November 6–10: California lilac blooms in winter light.November 11–15: First rain greens the chaparral.November 16–20: Coastal fog thickens as storms approach.November 21–25: Thanksgiving rains swell the valleys.November 26–30: Autumn's last breath yields to winter.December 1–5: December arrives, storms accelerate.December 6–10: Winter solstice season intensifies.December 11–15: Deep winter: rivers at flood stage.December 16–20: Winter salmon runs peak in northern rivers.December 21–25: Winter solstice: the sun turns.December 26–31: Year's end in wind and rain.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Summer heat deepens across the valleys

Inland temperatures exceed 95°F regularly; fire danger reaches moderate to high across most of the region.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

August is Santa Barbara's warmest stretch (~75°F) and December its coldest (~56°F); precipitation crests in February at 3.2 inches and ebbs in August to 0.0 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January56°3.1″9
February57°3.2″9
March58°2.8″9
April61°1.2″6
May66°0.4″3
June70°0.0″1
July75°0.0″1
August75°0.0″1
September73°0.0″1
October69°0.4″2
November61°1.4″5
December56°2.3″8

Regional context

In Santa Barbara, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 56°F and July near 75°F — a 18°F seasonal arc — with about 14.9 inches of precipitation over 54 rainy or snowy days.

Santa Barbara's moisture rides winter storm tracks: February brings 3.2 inches over 8.6 wet days, while August sees only 0.0 inches across 0.5 days in the dry warm season. That cool-season-wet pattern aligns Santa Barbara with places like Mission Canyon, CA, Eastern Goleta Valley, CA and Montecito, CA.

With a coldest-month mean of 56°F, Santa Barbara stays mostly frost-free and grows year-round. The August peak near 75°F is Santa Barbara's real limit, pushing cool-season vegetables to spring and fall. Within Santa Barbara, low or inland lots lose 3-5°F overnight versus Santa Barbara's coastal ground.

Similar climates: Mission Canyon, CA, Eastern Goleta Valley, CA, Montecito, CA, Summerland, CA, University of California-Santa Barbara, 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 last spring frost lands near mid-March, and in Santa Barbara the first fall frost follows around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara sees its heaviest rain in February (around 3.2 inches), part of roughly 15 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Santa Barbara?
August is Santa Barbara's warmest month, averaging about 75°F.
What is the coldest month in Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara bottoms out in December, with a mean near 56°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Santa Barbara?
Time tomatoes in Santa Barbara for two weeks after mid-March; peas and greens start at Santa Barbara's frost line.
How many rainy days does Santa Barbara get?
Santa Barbara records around 54 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara sits in the USDA zone set by December lows near 56°F; the USDA ZIP tool gives the band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Santa Barbara?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Santa Barbara in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Santa Barbara?
Current conditions for Santa Barbara and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Santa Barbara forecast updated?
The Santa Barbara forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Santa Barbara?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Santa Barbara are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Santa Barbara?
The next few days in Santa Barbara's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Santa Barbara's hot-summer Mediterranean climate in California pairs 56°F Januarys with 75°F Julys, 19°F apart across the seasons.

Yearly precipitation in Santa Barbara totals around 15 inches, spread over about 54 days of rain or snow.

At 34.4°N, Santa Barbara's 19°F summer-to-winter swing sets when Santa Barbara's gardens wake and when frost returns.

All cities in California →

Los Angeles, CA weather →

ZIP codes in Santa Barbara

  • 93105
  • 93101
  • 93103
  • 93109
  • 93102
  • 93120
  • 93121
  • 93130
  • 93140
  • 93190

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.