Santa Barbara weather in January

In January, Santa Barbara sees average daytime highs of 60°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 3.7 in of precipitation across 6.2 wet days and about 10 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 60°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Santa Barbara's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Barbara's year-round climate.

Daytime high
60°
10th warmest
Overnight low
46°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.7 in
6.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
7:10 AM – 5:06 PM
Cloud cover
46%
11th clearest
Wind
6 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Santa Barbara is city in and county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States.

Density
845/km²
people per km²
Founded
1847

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 60°F through the month.

A typical January day in Santa Barbara reaches about 60°F in the afternoon and slips back to 46°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 52°F and 69°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15945
26045
36045
46046
56046
66046
76046
86046
96046
106046
116046
126046
136046
146046
156046
166046
176046
186046
196046
206046
216046
226046
236046
246046
256046
266046
276046
286046
296046
306046
316046

Santa Barbara weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan60° / 46°3.76.20.4105.5
Feb60° / 46°3.76.60.710.75.3
Mar62° / 47°2.75.80.611.76.2
Apr65° / 49°0.930.312.87.5
May69° / 53°0.41.8013.88.3
Jun74° / 58°0.10.5014.39.3
Jul78° / 62°0.10.7014.19.2
Aug78° / 63°0.00.2013.39.2
Sep76° / 60°0.10.5012.29.4
Oct72° / 56°0.71.9011.18.8
Nov65° / 50°1.030.110.27.5
Dec60° / 46°2.45.10.39.75.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
25842
35941
45941
55941
65941
75941
85941
96040
106040
116040
126139
136139
146139
156238
166238
176337
186337
196337
206337
216238
226238
236238
246238
256238
266238
276238
286238
296238
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Santa Barbara gets around 3.7 in of rain and snow over 6.2 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 20% and peaks near 21% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1202
2202
3212
4212
5212
6211
7211
8211
9211
10211
11201
12201
13201
14201
15201
16201
17201
18201
19201
20201
21201
22191
23192
24192
25192
26192
27182
28182
29182
30182
31182

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 6 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:10 AM to 7:04 AM, and sunset from 4:54 PM to 5:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:104:54
29.77:104:55
39.87:104:55
49.87:104:56
59.87:114:57
69.87:114:58
79.87:114:58
89.87:114:59
99.87:115:00
109.87:115:01
119.87:115:02
129.97:115:03
139.97:115:03
149.97:105:04
159.97:105:05
169.97:105:06
1710.07:105:07
1810.07:105:08
1910.07:095:09
2010.07:095:10
2110.07:095:11
2210.17:085:12
2310.17:085:13
2410.17:085:14
2510.17:075:15
2610.17:075:15
2710.27:065:16
2810.27:065:17
2910.27:055:18
3010.27:045:19
3110.37:045:20

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.96 kWh/m² to a high of 8.32 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 3.13 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.0Moderate
23.0Moderate
33.0Moderate
43.0Moderate
53.0Moderate
63.0Moderate
73.0Moderate
83.0Moderate
93.0Moderate
103.0Moderate
113.0Moderate
123.0Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.1Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.2Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.2Moderate
213.3Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.5Moderate
313.6Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Santa Barbara?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.5
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.4
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Santa Barbara for sightseeing.

What to pack for Santa Barbara in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Santa Barbara sees daytime highs around 60°F and nights near 46°F. Worth packing: a warm layer. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layer

Sea temperature near Santa Barbara in January

The nearest coast averages about 58°F in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 65°F and coldest in April near 56°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

55°60°65°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan58Bracing
Feb58Bracing
Mar57Bracing
Apr56Bracing
May58Bracing
Jun61Cool
Jul64Cool
Aug65Cool
Sep65Cool
Oct64Cool
Nov62Cool
Dec59Bracing

UV index in Santa Barbara in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Barbara peaks around June 23 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 11Dec 16UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Santa Barbara in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Santa Barbara is worst in July — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.1× the cleanest month (February, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateJul 2027 µg/m³Feb 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar7Good
Apr6Good
May6Good
Jun6Good
Jul28Moderate
Aug19Moderate
Sep9Good
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara sits at 34.4°N, 119.7°W, 49 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Goleta, 7.5 mi away.

Topography around Santa Barbara

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Santa Barbara.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Santa Barbara has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 830 ft around an average of 177 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,963 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 8,806 ft.

The land around Santa Barbara is covered by artificial surfaces (45%) and trees (33%) within 2 miles, water (46%) and trees (36%) within 10 miles, and water (41%), grassland (28%) and trees (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
830 ft
10 miles
3,963 ft
50 miles
8,806 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Goleta 7.5 mi · Isla Vista 9.3 mi · Ventura 25 mi · Oxnard 34 mi · Port Hueneme 34 mi · Santa Paula 37 mi · Camarillo 40 mi · Fillmore 45 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

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 (34.4208°, -119.6982°, elevation 49 ft), 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).