Santa Barbara in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Santa Barbara sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 101 mm of rain over about 16 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is Santa Barbara's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Santa Barbara's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 101 mm
- 16 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.6
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Santa Barbara in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical winter day in Santa Barbara reaches about 30°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Santa Barbara
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 42 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Santa Barbara weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30° / 21° | 20 | 4.4 | 11.2 | 5.9 |
| Feb | 31° / 21° | 27 | 4.5 | 11.5 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 32° / 22° | 40 | 7.8 | 11.9 | 4.3 |
| Apr | 33° / 24° | 63 | 12.5 | 12.3 | 3.2 |
| May | 33° / 24° | 221 | 23.2 | 12.7 | 2.5 |
| Jun | 31° / 24° | 296 | 27.4 | 12.9 | 2.4 |
| Jul | 30° / 24° | 479 | 30 | 12.9 | 2.6 |
| Aug | 30° / 24° | 452 | 29.6 | 12.5 | 2.7 |
| Sep | 30° / 23° | 367 | 28.6 | 12.1 | 2.7 |
| Oct | 30° / 23° | 245 | 21.5 | 11.6 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 31° / 23° | 89 | 11.4 | 11.3 | 4.6 |
| Dec | 30° / 22° | 55 | 7.1 | 11.1 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Santa Barbara gets around 101 mm of rain over 16 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Santa Barbara
In winter, Santa Barbara overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Santa Barbara sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Santa Barbara's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Santa Barbara for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Santa Barbara in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Santa Barbara sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Santa Barbara in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 27°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 14 km away) is warmest in June at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 28 | Warm |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Santa Barbara in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Barbara peaks around August 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 at about 8 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Very high |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 8 | Very high |
Air quality in Santa Barbara in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Santa Barbara is worst in October — around 37 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 31 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 37 | 35 | 31 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | Moderate |
| Feb | 29 | Moderate |
| Mar | 32 | Moderate |
| Apr | 33 | Moderate |
| May | 33 | Moderate |
| Jun | 34 | Moderate |
| Jul | 32 | Moderate |
| Aug | 34 | Moderate |
| Sep | 36 | Poor |
| Oct | 37 | Poor |
| Nov | 35 | Moderate |
| Dec | 31 | Moderate |
Where is Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara sits at 16.0°N, 120.4°E, 12 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Calasiao, 5.0 km away.
Topography around Santa Barbara
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Santa Barbara.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Barbara has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 107 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,504 m.
The land around Santa Barbara is covered by cropland (68%) and trees (22%) within 3 km, cropland (44%) and trees (31%) within 16 km, and trees (44%), cropland (23%) and water (23%) within 80 km.
Philippines travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 230 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 33% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,171
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 48%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 4.3
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 569
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Santa Barbara (16.0009°, 120.4023°, elevation 12 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.