January is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara, with average highs near 16°C and lows around 9°C (mean 12.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 90 mm of rainfall and 70% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Santa Barbara was 2014 — when the month averaged 16.3°C — while the coldest was 1982 at 10.4°C. Typical January days reach 16°C with nights near 9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Santa Barbara, averaging 90 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1995 with 424 mm, while the driest was 2014 at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Santa Barbara during January averages 70%. The most humid January was 1995 at 85%, and the least humid was 2014 at 49%.
January receives about 3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Santa Barbara. The sunniest January was 2025 at 3.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1995 at 2.4.
Average wind speed in Santa Barbara during January is 2.9 m/s. The windiest January was 2008 at 3.8 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 1.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 12.1°C | 12.3°C | 12.2°C | 13.4°C | 12.5°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 15.8°C | 15.6°C | 15.7°C | 16.8°C | 15.9°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 8.4°C | 8.9°C | 8.7°C | 9.9°C | 9.1°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 64 mm | 122 mm | 93 mm | 89 mm | 72 mm | +8 mm |
January temperatures in Santa Barbara have stayed relatively stable across the record.
January has ranged from a record low of 1.6°C (1987) to a record high of 25°C (2014).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 90 mm, with a wettest year of 424 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, January — with days averaging 16°C and nights around 9°C (mean 12.5°C) and higher rainfall (90 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 | 17.0°C | 12.9°C | 8.8°C | 21.8°C | 6.0°C | 10 mm | 62% | 2.5 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2024 | 15.6°C | 12.6°C | 9.6°C | 20.8°C | 5.1°C | 62 mm | 80% | 3.2 m/s | 3 |
| 2023 | 13.6°C | 11.0°C | 8.5°C | 16.9°C | 4.3°C | 246 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2022 | 16.5°C | 12.9°C | 9.4°C | 19.7°C | 4.8°C | 4 mm | 71% | 2.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2021 | 16.7°C | 13.2°C | 9.6°C | 24.1°C | 4.5°C | 95 mm | 67% | 3.2 m/s | 3 |
| 2020 | 16.1°C | 12.5°C | 8.9°C | 20.2°C | 6.2°C | 15 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2019 | 15.6°C | 12.8°C | 10.0°C | 21.1°C | 4.9°C | 186 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2018 | 18.7°C | 15.0°C | 11.3°C | 24.6°C | 5.9°C | 65 mm | 67% | 2.7 m/s | 3 |
| 2017 | 13.8°C | 11.1°C | 8.5°C | 20.4°C | 4.7°C | 220 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2016 | 15.4°C | 12.5°C | 9.6°C | 20.5°C | 5.8°C | 119 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2015 | 18.5°C | 15.0°C | 11.5°C | 22.6°C | 6.4°C | 29 mm | 67% | 1.8 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2014 🔥 | 20.5°C | 16.3°C | 12.1°C | 25.0°C | 8.2°C | 0 mm | 49% | 2.5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 15.1°C | 11.5°C | 7.8°C | 20.0°C | 2.6°C | 38 mm | 63% | 2.7 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2012 | 18.0°C | 13.8°C | 9.6°C | 23.6°C | 3.6°C | 40 mm | 58% | 2.8 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2011 | 16.1°C | 12.5°C | 8.9°C | 22.0°C | 3.5°C | 26 mm | 69% | 2.7 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2010 | 16.0°C | 13.0°C | 10.1°C | 20.6°C | 6.9°C | 172 mm | 72% | 2.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2009 | 18.2°C | 14.1°C | 10.0°C | 23.2°C | 5.4°C | 17 mm | 60% | 2.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2008 | 13.5°C | 10.6°C | 7.6°C | 17.8°C | 4.3°C | 260 mm | 76% | 3.8 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2007 | 15.0°C | 11.1°C | 7.3°C | 22.4°C | 1.7°C | 46 mm | 61% | 2.7 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2006 | 15.7°C | 12.0°C | 8.3°C | 21.5°C | 4.7°C | 94 mm | 73% | 3.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2005 | 15.0°C | 12.4°C | 9.8°C | 22.2°C | 6.0°C | 282 mm | 78% | 2.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2004 | 15.5°C | 11.9°C | 8.2°C | 20.4°C | 3.8°C | 19 mm | 71% | 2.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2003 | 18.8°C | 15.0°C | 11.3°C | 24.9°C | 7.2°C | 1 mm | 70% | 2.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2002 | 14.6°C | 11.0°C | 7.5°C | 19.5°C | 1.9°C | 24 mm | 68% | 2.8 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2001 | 14.4°C | 11.3°C | 8.1°C | 22.6°C | 3.8°C | 142 mm | 68% | 2.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2000 | 16.0°C | 12.6°C | 9.2°C | 19.5°C | 6.1°C | 51 mm | 74% | 2.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1999 | 16.3°C | 12.7°C | 9.1°C | 21.0°C | 4.7°C | 70 mm | 68% | 2.7 m/s | 3 |
| 1998 | 14.9°C | 12.3°C | 9.7°C | 19.2°C | 6.1°C | 107 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1997 | 14.7°C | 11.9°C | 9.1°C | 20.2°C | 4.8°C | 124 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1996 | 16.6°C | 12.9°C | 9.2°C | 22.8°C | 3.7°C | 62 mm | 70% | 3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1995 🌧️ | 13.7°C | 11.6°C | 9.5°C | 21.2°C | 5.7°C | 424 mm | 85% | 3.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1994 | 17.6°C | 13.5°C | 9.5°C | 22.6°C | 5.9°C | 34 mm | 59% | 2.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1993 | 13.8°C | 11.2°C | 8.5°C | 19.3°C | 2.7°C | 231 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1992 | 16.1°C | 12.2°C | 8.3°C | 21.0°C | 4.4°C | 67 mm | 66% | 2.9 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1991 | 16.0°C | 12.1°C | 8.2°C | 20.1°C | 5.0°C | 32 mm | 69% | 2.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1990 | 16.2°C | 12.2°C | 8.2°C | 21.4°C | 5.4°C | 70 mm | 66% | 3.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1989 | 15.0°C | 10.7°C | 6.4°C | 20.7°C | 2.4°C | 11 mm | 65% | 2.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1988 | 14.9°C | 11.4°C | 7.9°C | 19.8°C | 5.1°C | 63 mm | 72% | 3.2 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1987 | 15.0°C | 11.1°C | 7.2°C | 20.1°C | 1.6°C | 46 mm | 65% | 3.2 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1986 | 17.7°C | 14.2°C | 10.7°C | 22.0°C | 7.9°C | 59 mm | 70% | 2.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1985 | 14.7°C | 11.1°C | 7.4°C | 18.1°C | 4.0°C | 25 mm | 69% | 2.6 m/s | 3 |
| 1984 | 17.2°C | 13.3°C | 9.4°C | 21.4°C | 6.3°C | 4 mm | 65% | 2.4 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1983 | 16.3°C | 12.9°C | 9.6°C | 22.4°C | 5.3°C | 210 mm | 70% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | 14.3°C | 10.4°C | 6.6°C | 19.9°C | 3.0°C | 76 mm | 67% | 3.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 16.9°C | 13.6°C | 10.2°C | 22.3°C | 4.1°C | 84 mm | 65% | 2.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 16°C with lows near 9°C (mean 12.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 90 mm of rainfall in Santa Barbara, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 424 mm in 1995.
The hottest January reached 25°C in 2014. The coldest dipped to 1.6°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 15.9°C to 15.9°C and overnight lows from 8.6°C to 9.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 16°C daytime highs and 9°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Santa Barbara, averaging 12.5°C.
For January in Santa Barbara, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 16°C and lows of 9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 70% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 2.9 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 3.8 m/s (2008).
The wettest January on record was 1995 with 424 mm. On average, January sees 90 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 January, 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 January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
