Santa Barbara weather in January [2026]

Month summary

Santa Barbara weather in January

✅ Good

🌡️ Temperature min / max

8°C – 18°C

🌧 Rainy days

21% of days

☀️ Sunshine

9.8h per day on average

🌊 🌊 Season

Winter

⭐ ⭐ Weather score

7.2/10

📅 📅 Best month

July (10.0/10)

Quick decision

Should you visit Santa Barbara in January?

✅ Good

✅ Yes if: you want to explore the city on foot without suffering from heat.

❌ No if: you're looking for a beach destination — water and air are still cool.

🌧 Rain : ██░░░░░░░░ 21%

🌡 Temperature : ████░░░░░░ 18°C

☀️ Sunshine : ███████░░░ 9.8h/d

Our take: January in Santa Barbara brings mild, pleasant days perfect for travelers who enjoy sweaters and sunshine without summer crowds. You'll average 8–18°C with minimal rain, so pack layers and you're golden for beach walks and wine tasting. Shorter daylight hours (about 10 hours) mean earlier sunsets, but locals know this is when the coast feels most peaceful and authentic.

By trip type

Santa Barbara in January by trip type

🏙️ 🏙️ City break / culture : ✅ Good
🚶 🚶 Outdoor activities : ⚠️ Possible
🏖️ Beach / swimming : ❌ Not recommended
💰 💰 Budget : ✅ Low season

Local context

What to expect in January

In January, Santa Barbara sees 18°C during the day with 9.8h of sunshine per day. Rain risk remains low (21% of days), leaving good room for outdoor activities. Not the best window, but acceptable if dates are constrained. July (10.0/10) is significantly better if possible.

Browse by month

All months for Santa Barbara

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Annual table

Month-by-month comparison

Month	Min °C	Max °C	Rain %	Precip mm	Sun h/d	Score
🌤️ January	8°C	18°C	21%	4.1	9.8h	7.2/10
🌤️ February	8°C	18°C	20%	3.7	10.3h	7.2/10
🌤️ March	9°C	19°C	28%	3.6	11.5h	7.3/10
🌤️ April	11°C	22°C	10%	0.9	12.1h	8.4/10
🌤️ May	13°C	22°C	8%	0.4	13.7h	8.7/10
☀️ June	16°C	25°C	2%	0.1	14.0h	9.5/10
☀️ July	18°C	28°C	0%	0.0	13.9h	10.0/10
☀️ August	19°C	29°C	2%	0.1	13.0h	9.4/10
☀️ September	17°C	28°C	6%	0.2	11.9h	9.4/10
☀️ October	15°C	26°C	5%	0.5	10.8h	8.9/10
🌤️ November	11°C	22°C	11%	1.5	9.8h	8.0/10
🌤️ December	9°C	19°C	19%	3.6	9.7h	7.3/10

Ideal Fair Challenging climate ◀ Current month · Source Open-Meteo · 10 years

📊 Data source Data based on 10 years of ERA5 records via Open-Meteo, with ECMWF seasonal adjustment. In January, Santa Barbara averages 18°C, 21% rainy days and 9.8h of sunshine per day. Overall weather score: 7.2/10. See methodology →

Comparison