Santa Maria, CA weather in October
Santa Maria is mild and dry in October: highs average 75°F and nights drop to about 50°F. There are about 3 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 75°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 0.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 75°F | 73°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 47°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 5% | 12% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:56 am / 6:46 pm | 7:21 am / 6:08 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 am52°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon73°Fdew point 49°F
- 3 pm69°Fdew point 51°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 51°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 50°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Santa Maria Public Airport (4 mi away); average wind 6 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°F21 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 snow3 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 0.5 in; a dry October brings about 0.09 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202014: average high 82°F
- Coolest October2002: average high 68°F
- Wettest October2004: 2.3 in
- Driest October1999: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading104°F (October 4, 2014)
- Lowest reading34°F (October 27, 1996)
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 | 75°F | 75°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 50°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 24 | 21 | 19 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.3 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by 0°F from September and -5°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Solvang, CA30 mi · high 84°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: Mammoth Lakes, CA203 mi · high 61°F · 4 wet days
How Santa Maria ranks in October
- Normal high154th warmest of 378 cities; 45th of 60 in California
- Wet days46th driest of 378
- Comfortable days12th most of 340
What to pack for Santa Maria in October
- Layers – afternoons near 75°F but nights near 50°F
Heating and cooling
October has 121 heating degree days and 34 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Maria in October?
The normal high is 75°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 104°F (October 4, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Maria in October?
About 3 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (2.3 in); the driest was in 1999, with no measurable precipitation.
Is October a good time to visit Santa Maria?
October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Maria (75 out of 100). It has about 21 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Santa Maria Public Airport (USW00023273), 3.8 mi S of the city center, 242 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Lompoc (USC00045064), 21 mi S of the city center, 75 ft (143 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Santa Barbara Muni Airport (USW00023190), 50 mi SE of the city center, 9 ft (209 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Santa Maria Pub/Capt G A Hancock Airport (723940-23273), 4.2 mi SSW of the city center, 243 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.