Santa Barbara weather in March

In March, Santa Barbara sees average daytime highs of 62°F and overnight lows near 47°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 5.8 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 62°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Santa Barbara's 10th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Barbara's year-round climate.

Daytime high
62°
9th warmest
Overnight low
47°
4th coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
5.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:16 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
42%
10th clearest
Wind
6 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
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 March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 62°F through the month.

A typical March day in Santa Barbara reaches about 62°F in the afternoon and slips back to 47°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 70°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 2°F warmer than February and about 3°F cooler than April.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16046
26046
36146
46146
56146
66147
76147
86247
96247
106247
116247
126247
136247
146247
156347
166347
176348
186348
196348
206348
216348
226348
236348
246348
256348
266348
276348
286348
296348
306348
316348

Santa Barbara weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 3rd-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 March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
26040
36040
46139
56139
66139
76238
86337
96436
106436
116535
126436
136535
146535
156535
166535
176634
186634
196733
206733
216733
226832
236832
246931
256931
267030
277129
287129
297327
307327
317426

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Santa Barbara gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 5.8 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 18% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1252
2252
3242
4232
5232
6222
7212
8212
9202
10192
11192
12182
13183
14183
15173
16173
17173
18173
19183
20173
21173
22172
23172
24172
25162
26162
27152
28152
29141
30141
31141

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March 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 March

Winds average 6 mph in March.

Across March, 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 March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:36 AM to 5:55 AM, and sunset from 5:48 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:365:48
211.26:355:49
311.36:345:50
411.36:335:50
511.36:315:51
611.46:305:52
711.46:295:53
811.46:275:54
911.56:265:55
1011.56:255:56
1111.66:235:56
1211.66:225:57
1311.66:215:58
1411.76:195:59
1511.76:186:00
1611.76:166:00
1711.86:156:01
1811.86:146:02
1911.86:126:03
2011.96:116:04
2111.96:096:04
2212.06:086:05
2312.06:076:06
2412.06:056:07
2512.16:046:08
2612.16:026:08
2712.16:016:09
2812.25:596:10
2912.25:586:11
3012.25:576:12
3112.35:556:12

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.51 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 — March's 5.51 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.9Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.1Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.2Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Santa Barbara?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
1.3
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Santa Barbara in March

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

In March, Santa Barbara sees daytime highs around 62°F and nights near 47°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layersun protection

Sea temperature near Santa Barbara in March

The nearest coast averages about 57°F in March — 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 March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 5 — 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 March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March 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
March 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).