Santa Barbara, CA weather in August
In August, Santa Barbara sees highs around 78°F and lows around 60°F: mild and dry. Rain is rare. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 78°F
- Normal low
- 60°F
- Wet days
- 0
- 0.01 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How August changes from start to finish
| August 1 | August 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 77°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 61°F | 60°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 1% | 2% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:09 am / 8:00 pm | 6:31 am / 7:26 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 12.9 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical August day
- 6 am60°Fdew point 58°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 60°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 60°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 59°F
- 6 pm68°Fdew point 59°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 59°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Santa Barbara Muni Airport (8 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 70% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 17%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F18 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph9 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow0 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in0 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per August, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in August
Normal precipitation is 0.01 in; a dry August brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.01 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How August varies from year to year
- Warmest August, 1991-20202009: average high 82°F
- Coolest August2002: average high 72°F
- Wettest August1991: 0.2 in
- Driest August1992: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading96°F (August 31, 2009)
- Lowest reading40°F (August 8, 1992)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
August compared with July and September
| July | August | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 76°F | 78°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 60°F | 60°F | 60°F |
| Wet days | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| Daylight | 14.2 h | 13.4 h | 12.4 h |
Highs change by +2°F from July and 0°F into September.
Nearby alternatives in August
- Warmer: Solvang, CA28 mi · high 93°F · 0 wet days
- Cooler: Oceanside, CA158 mi · high 71°F · 0 wet days
How Santa Barbara ranks in August
- Normal high333rd warmest of 378 cities; 46th of 60 in California
- Wet days43rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days19th most of 341
Heating and cooling
August has 5 heating degree days and 129 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Barbara in August?
The normal high is 78°F and the normal low is 60°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest August reading was 96°F (most recently on August 31, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Barbara in August?
About 0 days in August have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.01 in. The wettest August in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (0.2 in); the driest was in 1992, with no measurable precipitation.
Is August a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
August ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Barbara (79 out of 100). It has about 18 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Santa Barbara (USC00047902), 0.8 mi ESE of the city center, 16 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Santa Barbara Muni Airport (USW00023190), 8.2 mi W of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (723925-23190), 8.2 mi W of the city center, 8 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.