Santa Barbara, CA weather in October
Expect mild, dry weather in Santa Barbara in October, with highs near 76°F and lows near 56°F. Rain falls on about 2 days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 56°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 77°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 58°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 5% | 8% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:53 am / 6:43 pm | 7:18 am / 6:06 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.8 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 October day
- 6 am54°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am67°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon71°Fdew point 53°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 53°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 52°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Santa Barbara Muni Airport (8 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 67% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 23%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F22 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph6 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 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 October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry October brings about 0.02 in and a wet one about 0.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202015: average high 84°F
- Coolest October2002: average high 68°F
- Wettest October2004: 3.9 in
- Driest October1995: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading102°F (October 26, 2009)
- Lowest reading31°F (October 15, 1993)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
October compared with September and November
| September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 76°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 60°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 22 | 21 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.3 h | 10.4 h |
Highs change by -2°F from September and -5°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Solvang, CA28 mi · high 84°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: Oceanside, CA158 mi · high 70°F · 2 wet days
How Santa Barbara ranks in October
- Normal high145th warmest of 378 cities; 43rd of 60 in California
- Wet days30th driest of 378
- Comfortable days8th most of 340
Heating and cooling
October has 43 heating degree days and 70 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Barbara in October?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 56°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 102°F (October 26, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Barbara in October?
About 2 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (3.9 in); the driest was in 1995, with no measurable precipitation.
Is October a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
October ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Barbara (77 out of 100). It has about 22 comfortable days and about 2 days 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.