March is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara, with average highs near 16.7°C and lows around 9.3°C (mean 13°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 77 mm of rainfall and 74% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Santa Barbara was 2015 — when the month averaged 17°C — while the coldest was 2006 at 9.7°C. Typical March days reach 16.7°C with nights near 9.3°C. The long-term March temperature trend is broadly flat.
March is a relatively wet time of year in Santa Barbara, averaging 77 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 1991 with 269 mm, while the driest was 1997 at 1 mm.
Relative humidity in Santa Barbara during March averages 74%. The most humid March was 1992 at 83%, and the least humid was 2015 at 61%.
March receives about 5.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Santa Barbara. The sunniest Marchs were 2003, 2008 and 2022, among others at 5.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1992 at 4.3.
Average wind speed in Santa Barbara during March is 3.2 m/s. The windiest Marchs were 1984 and 1991 at 4 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 2.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 13.0°C | 12.9°C | 13.0°C | 13.6°C | 12.2°C | -0.8°C |
| Avg High | 16.8°C | 16.4°C | 16.9°C | 17.3°C | 15.6°C | -1.2°C |
| Avg Low | 9.1°C | 9.4°C | 9.2°C | 9.9°C | 8.8°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 78 mm | 101 mm | 54 mm | 68 mm | 88 mm | +10 mm |
March temperatures in Santa Barbara have stayed relatively stable across the record.
March has ranged from a record low of 4°C (2012) to a record high of 28.8°C (1988).
Rainfall in March is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 77 mm, with a wettest year of 269 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, March — with days averaging 16.7°C and nights around 9.3°C (mean 13°C) and moderate rainfall (77 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 | 15.7°C | 12.2°C | 8.7°C | 25.5°C | 5.6°C | 65 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2024 | 15.5°C | 12.6°C | 9.7°C | 20.8°C | 8.3°C | 108 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2023 | 12.9°C | 10.4°C | 7.8°C | 16.0°C | 4.1°C | 185 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2022 | 18.5°C | 14.2°C | 9.9°C | 23.3°C | 5.7°C | 35 mm | 67% | 3.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2021 | 15.7°C | 11.7°C | 7.7°C | 23.1°C | 4.4°C | 25 mm | 71% | 3.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2020 | 15.1°C | 12.1°C | 9.2°C | 21.7°C | 6.2°C | 109 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2019 | 15.5°C | 12.4°C | 9.2°C | 21.5°C | 6.5°C | 92 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2018 | 16.1°C | 12.7°C | 9.2°C | 21.6°C | 5.3°C | 147 mm | 74% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2017 | 18.0°C | 14.1°C | 10.3°C | 24.8°C | 4.3°C | 27 mm | 75% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2016 | 18.0°C | 14.2°C | 10.5°C | 22.7°C | 7.0°C | 81 mm | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2015 🔥 | 21.4°C | 17.0°C | 12.7°C | 25.9°C | 8.7°C | 7 mm | 61% | 2.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2014 | 18.4°C | 14.6°C | 10.8°C | 23.1°C | 8.3°C | 44 mm | 70% | 3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2013 | 18.4°C | 14.2°C | 10.0°C | 24.0°C | 6.6°C | 22 mm | 66% | 2.7 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2012 | 16.2°C | 12.2°C | 8.2°C | 23.7°C | 4.0°C | 77 mm | 69% | 3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2011 | 15.1°C | 12.0°C | 8.8°C | 23.0°C | 6.2°C | 171 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2010 | 16.0°C | 12.4°C | 8.9°C | 21.6°C | 4.9°C | 14 mm | 72% | 3.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2009 | 16.7°C | 12.6°C | 8.5°C | 24.3°C | 4.1°C | 20 mm | 72% | 3.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2008 | 17.3°C | 13.1°C | 8.9°C | 22.3°C | 4.9°C | 1 mm | 70% | 3.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2007 | 19.2°C | 14.6°C | 10.1°C | 25.7°C | 4.6°C | 4 mm | 63% | 2.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2006 ❄️ | 12.8°C | 9.7°C | 6.6°C | 19.1°C | 4.3°C | 108 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2005 | 16.5°C | 13.4°C | 10.3°C | 22.8°C | 7.1°C | 82 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2004 | 20.2°C | 15.8°C | 11.4°C | 24.5°C | 6.6°C | 14 mm | 69% | 2.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2003 | 17.4°C | 13.3°C | 9.1°C | 22.3°C | 6.7°C | 76 mm | 73% | 3.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2002 | 16.2°C | 12.2°C | 8.2°C | 21.0°C | 4.2°C | 16 mm | 70% | 3.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2001 | 16.4°C | 13.0°C | 9.7°C | 22.0°C | 6.7°C | 154 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 5 |
| 2000 | 16.1°C | 12.5°C | 8.8°C | 22.2°C | 6.3°C | 63 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1999 | 14.4°C | 10.8°C | 7.2°C | 19.3°C | 4.8°C | 96 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | 5 |
| 1998 | 15.5°C | 12.4°C | 9.4°C | 20.9°C | 4.9°C | 98 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 5 |
| 1997 | 18.9°C | 14.5°C | 10.0°C | 24.0°C | 5.0°C | 1 mm | 68% | 2.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1996 | 17.0°C | 13.3°C | 9.6°C | 20.8°C | 6.0°C | 40 mm | 76% | 2.7 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 | 15.8°C | 12.8°C | 9.9°C | 19.8°C | 5.4°C | 232 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1994 | 18.1°C | 14.1°C | 10.1°C | 24.2°C | 5.5°C | 53 mm | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1993 | 17.4°C | 14.0°C | 10.7°C | 21.0°C | 6.8°C | 108 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1992 | 15.4°C | 12.8°C | 10.2°C | 20.1°C | 8.4°C | 103 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1991 🌧️ | 13.4°C | 10.4°C | 7.4°C | 17.3°C | 5.1°C | 269 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1990 | 17.8°C | 13.5°C | 9.1°C | 25.3°C | 4.8°C | 5 mm | 68% | 3.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1989 | 17.9°C | 13.8°C | 9.6°C | 23.7°C | 4.9°C | 17 mm | 72% | 3.7 m/s | 5 |
| 1988 | 19.8°C | 14.9°C | 9.9°C | 28.8°C | 5.7°C | 2 mm | 61% | 3.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1987 | 16.3°C | 12.5°C | 8.7°C | 20.8°C | 5.4°C | 83 mm | 70% | 3.6 m/s | 5 |
| 1986 | 17.6°C | 14.0°C | 10.5°C | 22.7°C | 6.6°C | 130 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1985 | 15.4°C | 11.4°C | 7.4°C | 22.2°C | 4.3°C | 38 mm | 69% | 3.7 m/s | 5 |
| 1984 | 19.5°C | 14.8°C | 10.0°C | 24.3°C | 7.7°C | 12 mm | 62% | 4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1983 | 14.9°C | 12.1°C | 9.4°C | 20.5°C | 6.7°C | 152 mm | 83% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 14.6°C | 11.4°C | 8.2°C | 18.3°C | 5.0°C | 146 mm | 76% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.3°C | 12.0°C | 8.6°C | 20.0°C | 6.6°C | 123 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 16.7°C with lows near 9.3°C (mean 13°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 77 mm of rainfall in Santa Barbara, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 269 mm in 1991.
The hottest March reached 28.8°C in 1988. The coldest dipped to 4°C in 2012.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have fallen by about 0.1°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 8.7°C to 8.8°C while daytime highs eased from 15.9°C to 15.7°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Santa Barbara and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 16.7°C daytime highs and 9.3°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 4th coolest month in Santa Barbara, averaging 13°C.
For March in Santa Barbara, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 16.7°C and lows of 9.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 74% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in March is 3.2 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 4 m/s (1984).
The wettest March on record was 1991 with 269 mm. On average, March sees 77 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 March, 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 March specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
