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
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 59 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Avg low (°F) | 45 | 45 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 59 | 45 |
| 2 | 60 | 45 |
| 3 | 60 | 45 |
| 4 | 60 | 46 |
| 5 | 60 | 46 |
| 6 | 60 | 46 |
| 7 | 60 | 46 |
| 8 | 60 | 46 |
| 9 | 60 | 46 |
| 10 | 60 | 46 |
| 11 | 60 | 46 |
| 12 | 60 | 46 |
| 13 | 60 | 46 |
| 14 | 60 | 46 |
| 15 | 60 | 46 |
| 16 | 60 | 46 |
| 17 | 60 | 46 |
| 18 | 60 | 46 |
| 19 | 60 | 46 |
| 20 | 60 | 46 |
| 21 | 60 | 46 |
| 22 | 60 | 46 |
| 23 | 60 | 46 |
| 24 | 60 | 46 |
| 25 | 60 | 46 |
| 26 | 60 | 46 |
| 27 | 60 | 46 |
| 28 | 60 | 46 |
| 29 | 60 | 46 |
| 30 | 60 | 46 |
| 31 | 60 | 46 |
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.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60° / 46° | 3.7 | 6.2 | 0.4 | 10 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 60° / 46° | 3.7 | 6.6 | 0.7 | 10.7 | 5.3 |
| Mar | 62° / 47° | 2.7 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 11.7 | 6.2 |
| Apr | 65° / 49° | 0.9 | 3 | 0.3 | 12.8 | 7.5 |
| May | 69° / 53° | 0.4 | 1.8 | 0 | 13.8 | 8.3 |
| Jun | 74° / 58° | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0 | 14.3 | 9.3 |
| Jul | 78° / 62° | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0 | 14.1 | 9.2 |
| Aug | 78° / 63° | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0 | 13.3 | 9.2 |
| Sep | 76° / 60° | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0 | 12.2 | 9.4 |
| Oct | 72° / 56° | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0 | 11.1 | 8.8 |
| Nov | 65° / 50° | 1.0 | 3 | 0.1 | 10.2 | 7.5 |
| Dec | 60° / 46° | 2.4 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 9.7 | 5.6 |
Cloud cover in January
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 59 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 63 |
| Cloudier (%) | 41 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 59 | 41 |
| 2 | 58 | 42 |
| 3 | 59 | 41 |
| 4 | 59 | 41 |
| 5 | 59 | 41 |
| 6 | 59 | 41 |
| 7 | 59 | 41 |
| 8 | 59 | 41 |
| 9 | 60 | 40 |
| 10 | 60 | 40 |
| 11 | 60 | 40 |
| 12 | 61 | 39 |
| 13 | 61 | 39 |
| 14 | 61 | 39 |
| 15 | 62 | 38 |
| 16 | 62 | 38 |
| 17 | 63 | 37 |
| 18 | 63 | 37 |
| 19 | 63 | 37 |
| 20 | 63 | 37 |
| 21 | 62 | 38 |
| 22 | 62 | 38 |
| 23 | 62 | 38 |
| 24 | 62 | 38 |
| 25 | 62 | 38 |
| 26 | 62 | 38 |
| 27 | 62 | 38 |
| 28 | 62 | 38 |
| 29 | 62 | 38 |
| 30 | 63 | 37 |
| 31 | 63 | 37 |
Chance of precipitation in January
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Snow chance (%) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Rain chance (%) | Snow chance (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 2 |
| 2 | 20 | 2 |
| 3 | 21 | 2 |
| 4 | 21 | 2 |
| 5 | 21 | 2 |
| 6 | 21 | 1 |
| 7 | 21 | 1 |
| 8 | 21 | 1 |
| 9 | 21 | 1 |
| 10 | 21 | 1 |
| 11 | 20 | 1 |
| 12 | 20 | 1 |
| 13 | 20 | 1 |
| 14 | 20 | 1 |
| 15 | 20 | 1 |
| 16 | 20 | 1 |
| 17 | 20 | 1 |
| 18 | 20 | 1 |
| 19 | 20 | 1 |
| 20 | 20 | 1 |
| 21 | 20 | 1 |
| 22 | 19 | 1 |
| 23 | 19 | 2 |
| 24 | 19 | 2 |
| 25 | 19 | 2 |
| 26 | 19 | 2 |
| 27 | 18 | 2 |
| 28 | 18 | 2 |
| 29 | 18 | 2 |
| 30 | 18 | 2 |
| 31 | 18 | 2 |
Humidity in January
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Dry (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 100 |
| 3 | 100 |
| 4 | 100 |
| 5 | 100 |
| 6 | 100 |
| 7 | 100 |
| 8 | 100 |
| 9 | 100 |
| 10 | 100 |
| 11 | 100 |
| 12 | 100 |
| 13 | 100 |
| 14 | 100 |
| 15 | 100 |
| 16 | 100 |
| 17 | 100 |
| 18 | 100 |
| 19 | 100 |
| 20 | 100 |
| 21 | 100 |
| 22 | 100 |
| 23 | 100 |
| 24 | 100 |
| 25 | 100 |
| 26 | 100 |
| 27 | 100 |
| 28 | 100 |
| 29 | 100 |
| 30 | 100 |
| 31 | 100 |
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | calm |
| 2 | 6 | calm |
| 3 | 6 | calm |
| 4 | 6 | calm |
| 5 | 6 | calm |
| 6 | 6 | calm |
| 7 | 6 | calm |
| 8 | 6 | calm |
| 9 | 6 | calm |
| 10 | 6 | calm |
| 11 | 6 | calm |
| 12 | 6 | calm |
| 13 | 6 | calm |
| 14 | 6 | calm |
| 15 | 6 | calm |
| 16 | 6 | calm |
| 17 | 6 | calm |
| 18 | 6 | calm |
| 19 | 6 | calm |
| 20 | 6 | calm |
| 21 | 6 | calm |
| 22 | 6 | calm |
| 23 | 6 | calm |
| 24 | 6 | calm |
| 25 | 6 | calm |
| 26 | 6 | calm |
| 27 | 6 | calm |
| 28 | 6 | calm |
| 29 | 6 | calm |
| 30 | 6 | calm |
| 31 | 6 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in January
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.3 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:10 | 7:09 | 7:09 | 7:09 | 7:08 | 7:08 | 7:08 | 7:07 | 7:07 | 7:06 | 7:06 | 7:05 | 7:04 | 7:04 |
| Sunset (PM) | 4:54 | 4:55 | 4:55 | 4:56 | 4:57 | 4:58 | 4:58 | 4:59 | 5:00 | 5:01 | 5:02 | 5:03 | 5:03 | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:06 | 5:07 | 5:08 | 5:09 | 5:10 | 5:11 | 5:12 | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:16 | 5:17 | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:20 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.7 | 7:10 | 4:54 |
| 2 | 9.7 | 7:10 | 4:55 |
| 3 | 9.8 | 7:10 | 4:55 |
| 4 | 9.8 | 7:10 | 4:56 |
| 5 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 4:57 |
| 6 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 4:58 |
| 7 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 4:58 |
| 8 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 4:59 |
| 9 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 5:00 |
| 10 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 5:01 |
| 11 | 9.8 | 7:11 | 5:02 |
| 12 | 9.9 | 7:11 | 5:03 |
| 13 | 9.9 | 7:11 | 5:03 |
| 14 | 9.9 | 7:10 | 5:04 |
| 15 | 9.9 | 7:10 | 5:05 |
| 16 | 9.9 | 7:10 | 5:06 |
| 17 | 10.0 | 7:10 | 5:07 |
| 18 | 10.0 | 7:10 | 5:08 |
| 19 | 10.0 | 7:09 | 5:09 |
| 20 | 10.0 | 7:09 | 5:10 |
| 21 | 10.0 | 7:09 | 5:11 |
| 22 | 10.1 | 7:08 | 5:12 |
| 23 | 10.1 | 7:08 | 5:13 |
| 24 | 10.1 | 7:08 | 5:14 |
| 25 | 10.1 | 7:07 | 5:15 |
| 26 | 10.1 | 7:07 | 5:15 |
| 27 | 10.2 | 7:06 | 5:16 |
| 28 | 10.2 | 7:06 | 5:17 |
| 29 | 10.2 | 7:05 | 5:18 |
| 30 | 10.2 | 7:04 | 5:19 |
| 31 | 10.3 | 7:04 | 5:20 |
Solar energy in January
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 2 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 3 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 4 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 5 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 6 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 7 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 8 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 9 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 10 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 11 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 12 | 3.0 | Moderate |
| 13 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 14 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 15 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 16 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 17 | 3.1 | Moderate |
| 18 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 19 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 20 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 21 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 22 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 23 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 24 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 25 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 26 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 27 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 28 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 29 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 30 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 31 | 3.6 | Moderate |
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).
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.
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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 58 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 58 | 61 | 64 | 65 | 65 | 64 | 62 | 59 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | Bracing |
| Feb | 58 | Bracing |
| Mar | 57 | Bracing |
| Apr | 56 | Bracing |
| May | 58 | Bracing |
| Jun | 61 | Cool |
| Jul | 64 | Cool |
| Aug | 65 | Cool |
| Sep | 65 | Cool |
| Oct | 64 | Cool |
| Nov | 62 | Cool |
| Dec | 59 | Bracing |
UV index in Santa Barbara in January
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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | Moderate |
| Apr | 7 | Very high |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Santa Barbara in January
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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 19 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 21 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 6 | Good |
| Mar | 7 | Good |
| Apr | 6 | Good |
| May | 6 | Good |
| Jun | 6 | Good |
| Jul | 28 | Moderate |
| Aug | 19 | Moderate |
| Sep | 9 | Good |
| Oct | 11 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 21 | Moderate |
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.
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
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).