Monthly climate guide
Santa Barbara weather in May
Expect mild weather in Santa Barbara in May: afternoons reach about 21°C (69°F), while nights drop to around 12°C (53°F). Around 10 mm of rain falls over the month (very dry), and skies are mostly sunny. Daytime highs are 2°C warmer than April and 3°C cooler than June.
What stands out in May
- Rain is well below Santa Barbara's usual level (around 65% less).
- Just 120 km apart, but Santa Barbara runs about 5°C cooler than Bakersfield this month.
- In Santa Barbara, May is late spring.
Avg high
21°C
69°F
Avg low
12°C
53°F
Rainfall
10 mm
very dry
Humidity
65%
relative
Sky
32%
cloud · mostly sunny
Santa Barbara weather by month
Show the monthly averages as a table
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Humidity | Cloud cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°C / 62°F | 10°C / 50°F | 74 mm | 68% | 44% |
| February | 17°C / 62°F | 9°C / 48°F | 60 mm | 70% | 37% |
| March | 17°C / 63°F | 10°C / 50°F | 78 mm | 73% | 46% |
| April | 19°C / 66°F | 11°C / 51°F | 22 mm | 69% | 36% |
| May | 21°C / 69°F | 12°C / 53°F | 10 mm | 65% | 32% |
| June | 24°C / 75°F | 15°C / 59°F | 4 mm | 58% | 28% |
| July | 26°C / 78°F | 17°C / 63°F | 2 mm | 56% | 25% |
| August | 27°C / 80°F | 18°C / 64°F | 1 mm | 54% | 21% |
| September | 26°C / 79°F | 17°C / 63°F | 4 mm | 56% | 23% |
| October | 24°C / 76°F | 16°C / 60°F | 10 mm | 57% | 23% |
| November | 20°C / 68°F | 12°C / 54°F | 29 mm | 62% | 33% |
| December | 17°C / 62°F | 10°C / 49°F | 50 mm | 66% | 39% |
What to pack for May
- T-shirts plus a light layer for the evening
- Comfortable trainers or sandals for long walks
- Sunglasses
Is May a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
Compare the months in the chart above to find your ideal window.
Best time to visit Santa Barbara →Other United States cities in May
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Santa Barbara weather in May. WeatherCompare, 2026 (NASA POWER / ERA5, 2011–2020 monthly averages). https://weathercompare.eu/weather/usa/santa-barbara/may
<a href="https://weathercompare.eu/weather/usa/santa-barbara/may">Santa Barbara weather in May</a> (WeatherCompare)
<iframe src="https://weathercompare.eu/embed/usa/santa-barbara" width="300" height="160" style="border:0;border-radius:12px" loading="lazy" title="Santa Barbara weather in May"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px"><a href="https://weathercompare.eu/weather/usa/santa-barbara/may">Santa Barbara weather in May</a> – WeatherCompare</p>
Santa Barbara in May: quick answers
Is May a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
Yes. May is one of the best months for Santa Barbara, with highs around 21°C and about 10 mm of rain.
How warm is Santa Barbara in May?
Average highs are about 21°C (69°F) and average lows about 12°C (53°F), based on 10 years of daily data.
Does it rain a lot in Santa Barbara in May?
Santa Barbara typically gets around 10 mm of rain in May — very dry.
Figures are long-term averages for the area around Santa Barbara (NASA POWER / ERA5, 2011–2020), not a forecast for a specific year. For upcoming days, see the live multi-source forecast.