Santa Barbara, CA weather in September
Santa Barbara is mild and dry in September: highs average 78°F and nights drop to about 60°F. Expect about 1 wet day. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 78°F
- Normal low
- 60°F
- Wet days
- 1
- 0.05 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How September changes from start to finish
| September 1 | September 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 60°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 2% | 4% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:32 am / 7:25 pm | 6:52 am / 6:44 pm |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 11.9 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 September day
- 6 am59°Fdew point 55°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 59°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 58°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 58°F
- 6 pm66°Fdew point 58°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 58°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Santa Barbara Muni Airport (8 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 69% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 21%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F18 of 30
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph8 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow1 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in0 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 30
Average days per September, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in September
Normal precipitation is 0.05 in; a dry September brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.06 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How September varies from year to year
- Warmest September, 1991-20202015: average high 85°F
- Coolest September1999: average high 72°F
- Wettest September2017: 0.5 in
- Driest September1992: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading105°F (September 27, 2010)
- Lowest reading33°F (September 30, 1993)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
September compared with August and October
| August | September | October | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 78°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 60°F | 60°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 18 | 22 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 12.4 h | 11.3 h |
Highs change by 0°F from August and -2°F into October.
Nearby alternatives in September
- Warmer: Solvang, CA28 mi · high 91°F · 1 wet day
- Cooler: Oceanside, CA158 mi · high 71°F · 1 wet day
How Santa Barbara ranks in September
- Normal high226th warmest of 378 cities; 44th of 60 in California
- Wet days44th driest of 378
- Comfortable days29th most of 342
Heating and cooling
September has 10 heating degree days and 118 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Barbara in September?
The normal high is 78°F and the normal low is 60°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest September reading was 105°F (September 27, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Barbara in September?
About 1 days in September have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.05 in. The wettest September in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (0.5 in); the driest was in 1992, with no measurable precipitation.
Is September a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
September ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Barbara (76 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.