Santa Barbara, CA weather in May
Santa Barbara is mild and dry in May: highs average 72°F and nights drop to about 54°F. Expect about 2 wet days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 72°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 72°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 56°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 8% | 6% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:08 am / 7:42 pm | 5:47 am / 8:05 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.3 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 May day
- 6 am55°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 53°F
- Noon66°Fdew point 52°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 52°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 51°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Santa Barbara Muni Airport (8 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 58% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 29%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F25 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph2 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 snow2 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 0.4 in; a dry May brings about 0.02 in and a wet one about 0.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202014: average high 78°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 65°F
- Wettest May1998: 2.8 in
- Driest May2000: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading99°F (May 15, 2014)
- Lowest reading34°F (May 6, 1993)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
May compared with April and June
| April | May | June | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 71°F | 72°F | 73°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 54°F | 57°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Comfortable days | 21 | 25 | 26 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.0 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +1°F from April and +1°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Solvang, CA28 mi · high 80°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Oceanside, CA158 mi · high 65°F · 2 wet days
How Santa Barbara ranks in May
- Normal high241st warmest of 378 cities; 45th of 60 in California
- Wet days32nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days8th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 88 heating degree days and 24 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Barbara in May?
The normal high is 72°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 99°F (May 15, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Barbara in May?
About 2 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (2.8 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Barbara (88 out of 100). It has about 25 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.