December is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara, with average highs near 16.1°C and lows around 9.2°C (mean 12.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 73 mm of rainfall and 68% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Santa Barbara was 2017 — when the month averaged 15.6°C — while the coldest were 1984 and 1987 at 10.6°C. Typical December days reach 16.1°C with nights near 9.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Santa Barbara, averaging 73 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 265 mm, while the driest were 1989 and 2017 at 1 mm.
Relative humidity in Santa Barbara during December averages 68%. The most humid December was 2019 at 81%, and the least humid was 2017 at 48%.
December receives about 2.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Santa Barbara. The sunniest December was 2013 at 3.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2021 and 2022 at 2.4.
Average wind speed in Santa Barbara during December is 3 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1987, 1997 and 2015 at 3.8 m/s, while the calmest was 2017 at 2.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 12.4°C | 12.3°C | 12.3°C | 12.9°C | 13.8°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 15.9°C | 16.0°C | 15.7°C | 16.3°C | 17.1°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Low | 8.9°C | 8.7°C | 9.0°C | 9.5°C | 10.5°C | +1.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 56 mm | 68 mm | 67 mm | 73 mm | 114 mm | +58 mm |
December temperatures in Santa Barbara have risen by about 1.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -0.8°C (1990) to a record high of 24.3°C (1998).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 73 mm, with a wettest year of 265 mm.
A quieter season to visit Santa Barbara
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Santa Barbara. That said, December — with days averaging 16.1°C and nights around 9.2°C (mean 12.7°C) and moderate rainfall (73 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18.5°C | 15.4°C | 12.3°C | 22.4°C | 8.6°C | 173 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 18.3°C | 14.4°C | 10.5°C | 23.6°C | 7.1°C | 7 mm | 69% | 2.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2023 | 17.9°C | 14.7°C | 11.5°C | 23.8°C | 9.0°C | 127 mm | 74% | 2.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 15.5°C | 12.6°C | 9.7°C | 21.4°C | 5.2°C | 156 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 14.8°C | 12.0°C | 9.1°C | 24.2°C | 6.4°C | 186 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2020 | 17.8°C | 13.9°C | 10.0°C | 23.0°C | 6.6°C | 37 mm | 58% | 2.9 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2019 | 15.3°C | 12.4°C | 9.6°C | 20.4°C | 5.2°C | 111 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2018 | 16.5°C | 13.1°C | 9.6°C | 20.2°C | 5.5°C | 29 mm | 72% | 3.2 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2017 🔥 | 19.8°C | 15.6°C | 11.4°C | 23.6°C | 5.3°C | 1 mm | 48% | 2.1 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2016 | 16.0°C | 12.5°C | 9.0°C | 21.1°C | 4.0°C | 88 mm | 70% | 2.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2015 | 16.0°C | 12.4°C | 8.8°C | 23.4°C | 3.8°C | 26 mm | 65% | 3.8 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 16.4°C | 13.7°C | 10.9°C | 21.6°C | 3.9°C | 122 mm | 76% | 3.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2013 | 17.6°C | 13.4°C | 9.3°C | 23.5°C | 3.2°C | 6 mm | 53% | 2.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2012 | 14.6°C | 11.6°C | 8.6°C | 20.7°C | 3.9°C | 74 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2011 | 16.1°C | 12.3°C | 8.4°C | 21.1°C | 6.0°C | 12 mm | 59% | 2.3 m/s | 3 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 15.1°C | 12.2°C | 9.4°C | 22.9°C | 3.8°C | 265 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2009 | 14.7°C | 11.5°C | 8.3°C | 20.7°C | 2.5°C | 83 mm | 70% | 2.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2008 | 15.0°C | 11.6°C | 8.2°C | 22.3°C | 4.3°C | 55 mm | 70% | 3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2007 | 14.7°C | 11.1°C | 7.5°C | 21.9°C | 3.0°C | 61 mm | 69% | 3.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2006 | 16.9°C | 13.1°C | 9.3°C | 22.4°C | 4.7°C | 34 mm | 61% | 3.1 m/s | 3 |
| 2005 | 17.0°C | 13.6°C | 10.3°C | 22.6°C | 6.2°C | 45 mm | 69% | 2.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2004 | 16.4°C | 13.0°C | 9.7°C | 23.0°C | 6.1°C | 173 mm | 69% | 2.9 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2003 | 15.1°C | 11.9°C | 8.8°C | 20.3°C | 4.2°C | 52 mm | 74% | 3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 14.5°C | 11.9°C | 9.3°C | 18.3°C | 5.3°C | 113 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2001 | 14.3°C | 11.3°C | 8.3°C | 21.0°C | 4.1°C | 49 mm | 76% | 3.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2000 | 18.1°C | 14.4°C | 10.6°C | 21.5°C | 7.6°C | 3 mm | 61% | 2.4 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1999 | 17.8°C | 13.5°C | 9.2°C | 22.2°C | 5.3°C | 3 mm | 55% | 2.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1998 | 15.6°C | 11.4°C | 7.3°C | 24.3°C | 1.3°C | 23 mm | 62% | 3.2 m/s | 3 |
| 1997 | 15.5°C | 12.3°C | 9.0°C | 19.7°C | 4.9°C | 161 mm | 70% | 3.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1996 | 15.5°C | 12.6°C | 9.8°C | 18.8°C | 7.0°C | 129 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1995 | 16.9°C | 13.5°C | 10.0°C | 23.0°C | 6.2°C | 53 mm | 73% | 3.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1994 | 15.4°C | 11.8°C | 8.2°C | 20.8°C | 4.4°C | 32 mm | 70% | 2.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1993 | 16.7°C | 12.7°C | 8.7°C | 21.6°C | 5.4°C | 42 mm | 65% | 2.9 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1992 | 14.6°C | 11.2°C | 7.9°C | 20.2°C | 3.9°C | 124 mm | 71% | 3.2 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1991 | 16.4°C | 12.9°C | 9.4°C | 21.0°C | 6.0°C | 111 mm | 65% | 2.8 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1990 | 15.6°C | 11.4°C | 7.2°C | 22.5°C | -0.8°C | 7 mm | 54% | 3.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1989 | 18.9°C | 14.7°C | 10.4°C | 23.0°C | 6.8°C | 1 mm | 52% | 2.3 m/s | 3 |
| 1988 | 15.0°C | 11.6°C | 8.3°C | 21.9°C | 2.7°C | 96 mm | 65% | 3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1987 | 13.7°C | 10.6°C | 7.5°C | 19.4°C | 1.7°C | 98 mm | 72% | 3.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1986 | 17.3°C | 13.6°C | 10.0°C | 20.7°C | 7.6°C | 18 mm | 65% | 2.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1985 | 16.6°C | 13.1°C | 9.6°C | 21.2°C | 4.0°C | 21 mm | 65% | 2.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1984 ❄️ | 13.8°C | 10.6°C | 7.5°C | 17.4°C | 4.3°C | 107 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1983 | 15.3°C | 12.2°C | 9.1°C | 19.2°C | 5.0°C | 98 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 15.1°C | 11.7°C | 8.2°C | 19.3°C | 3.9°C | 52 mm | 68% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 17.5°C | 13.6°C | 9.8°C | 21.5°C | 6.3°C | 20 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 16.1°C with lows near 9.2°C (mean 12.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 73 mm of rainfall in Santa Barbara, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 265 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 24.3°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -0.8°C in 1990.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 15.7°C to 17°C and overnight lows from 8.8°C to 10.6°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 16.1°C daytime highs and 9.2°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Santa Barbara, averaging 12.7°C.
For December in Santa Barbara, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 16.1°C and lows of 9.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 68% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 3.8 m/s (1987).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 265 mm. On average, December sees 73 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Santa Barbara behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
