May is close to Santa Barbara's year-round average, with average highs near 21°C and lows around 12°C (mean 16.5°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 10 mm of rainfall and 64% relative humidity across the period.
May is close to Santa Barbara's year-round average. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Santa Barbara was 1997 — when the month averaged 20.7°C — while the coldest was 1998 at 13.3°C. Typical May days reach 21°C with nights near 12°C. The long-term trend is cooling, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Santa Barbara, averaging 10 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1998 with 83 mm, while the driest were 2012, 2021 and 2022, among others at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Santa Barbara during May averages 64%. The most humid May was 1998 at 82%, and the least humid was 1984 at 46%.
May receives about 7.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Santa Barbara. The sunniest May was 2004 at 8.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1995, 1998 and 2019 at 6.5.
Average wind speed in Santa Barbara during May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1984 and 1991 at 4.1 m/s, while the calmest was 2001 at 2.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 17.0°C | 16.1°C | 16.9°C | 16.0°C | 16.4°C | -0.6°C |
| Avg High | 21.8°C | 20.6°C | 21.4°C | 20.4°C | 20.8°C | -1°C |
| Avg Low | 12.2°C | 11.7°C | 12.3°C | 11.7°C | 12.0°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 3 mm | 16 mm | 13 mm | 10 mm | 4 mm | +1 mm |
May temperatures in Santa Barbara have fallen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 6.6°C (1991) to a record high of 31.5°C (2008).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 10 mm, with a wettest year of 83 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Santa Barbara
May is a good time to visit Santa Barbara, with days averaging 21°C and nights around 12°C (mean 16.5°C, close to Santa Barbara's yearly average) and low rainfall. August and July are marginally more temperate, but May still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22.0°C | 17.4°C | 12.7°C | 28.2°C | 9.5°C | 3 mm | 63% | 3.2 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2024 | 19.3°C | 15.3°C | 11.2°C | 23.4°C | 7.9°C | 3 mm | 73% | 2.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2023 | 18.0°C | 14.8°C | 11.6°C | 24.7°C | 8.2°C | 16 mm | 80% | 2.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2022 | 22.2°C | 17.0°C | 11.8°C | 28.5°C | 6.7°C | 0 mm | 56% | 3.6 m/s | 8 |
| 2021 | 21.7°C | 16.8°C | 12.0°C | 26.1°C | 8.4°C | 0 mm | 59% | 3.4 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2020 | 21.7°C | 17.3°C | 12.9°C | 26.6°C | 10.2°C | 3 mm | 64% | 3.2 m/s | 7.9 |
| 2019 | 18.0°C | 14.6°C | 11.2°C | 22.1°C | 8.8°C | 47 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2018 | 19.9°C | 15.7°C | 11.4°C | 25.2°C | 8.6°C | 5 mm | 70% | 3.1 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2017 | 20.6°C | 16.5°C | 12.3°C | 26.0°C | 8.5°C | 8 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2016 | 20.0°C | 15.9°C | 11.8°C | 25.8°C | 9.0°C | 6 mm | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2015 | 19.2°C | 15.3°C | 11.4°C | 23.6°C | 9.2°C | 7 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | 7 |
| 2014 | 23.5°C | 18.6°C | 13.7°C | 31.0°C | 9.7°C | 2 mm | 52% | 3.5 m/s | 7.9 |
| 2013 | 22.9°C | 17.7°C | 12.5°C | 29.8°C | 8.6°C | 6 mm | 57% | 3.9 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2012 | 22.4°C | 17.1°C | 11.8°C | 29.7°C | 8.4°C | 0 mm | 57% | 3.7 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2011 | 18.5°C | 14.3°C | 10.1°C | 25.2°C | 7.5°C | 18 mm | 69% | 3.7 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2010 | 19.0°C | 14.6°C | 10.3°C | 24.8°C | 7.3°C | 5 mm | 67% | 3.6 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2009 | 22.3°C | 17.7°C | 13.1°C | 27.4°C | 10.1°C | 3 mm | 60% | 3.1 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2008 | 20.8°C | 16.2°C | 11.5°C | 31.5°C | 8.4°C | 6 mm | 61% | 3.4 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2007 | 21.2°C | 16.4°C | 11.6°C | 27.7°C | 8.1°C | 1 mm | 57% | 3 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2006 | 20.6°C | 16.5°C | 12.4°C | 26.4°C | 9.3°C | 34 mm | 74% | 2.7 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2005 | 20.4°C | 16.4°C | 12.4°C | 25.5°C | 9.1°C | 29 mm | 73% | 3.1 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2004 | 22.4°C | 17.6°C | 12.7°C | 29.9°C | 9.5°C | 1 mm | 56% | 3.6 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2003 | 20.0°C | 15.8°C | 11.6°C | 26.9°C | 7.1°C | 45 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2002 | 20.6°C | 15.9°C | 11.1°C | 27.5°C | 7.9°C | 6 mm | 61% | 3.3 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2001 | 23.2°C | 18.7°C | 14.1°C | 29.5°C | 11.2°C | 2 mm | 63% | 2.2 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2000 | 22.2°C | 17.4°C | 12.6°C | 31.4°C | 7.6°C | 1 mm | 64% | 3.5 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1999 | 19.9°C | 15.1°C | 10.3°C | 24.9°C | 7.3°C | 3 mm | 66% | 3.9 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1998 ❄️ 🌧️ | 16.5°C | 13.3°C | 10.0°C | 18.7°C | 8.1°C | 83 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1997 🔥 | 26.0°C | 20.7°C | 15.4°C | 30.3°C | 10.9°C | 1 mm | 51% | 3.5 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1996 | 22.6°C | 17.7°C | 12.8°C | 29.8°C | 9.0°C | 7 mm | 60% | 3.6 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1995 | 17.5°C | 14.0°C | 10.4°C | 24.1°C | 7.9°C | 26 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 20.1°C | 15.6°C | 11.2°C | 25.1°C | 8.8°C | 17 mm | 68% | 3 m/s | 7 |
| 1993 | 20.5°C | 16.2°C | 11.9°C | 24.2°C | 7.9°C | 3 mm | 71% | 3.1 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1992 | 22.5°C | 18.3°C | 14.1°C | 25.4°C | 11.0°C | 2 mm | 70% | 2.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1991 | 18.9°C | 14.2°C | 9.5°C | 23.6°C | 6.6°C | 1 mm | 67% | 4.1 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1990 | 21.1°C | 16.3°C | 11.5°C | 30.6°C | 8.7°C | 16 mm | 60% | 3.7 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1989 | 21.8°C | 16.8°C | 11.7°C | 27.7°C | 8.5°C | 7 mm | 58% | 3.9 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1988 | 21.3°C | 16.5°C | 11.6°C | 27.9°C | 6.8°C | 3 mm | 58% | 4 m/s | 7 |
| 1987 | 22.8°C | 18.2°C | 13.6°C | 29.2°C | 9.7°C | 4 mm | 57% | 3.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1986 | 21.5°C | 16.8°C | 12.0°C | 27.4°C | 7.1°C | 1 mm | 58% | 3.2 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1985 | 21.0°C | 16.1°C | 11.2°C | 27.4°C | 7.9°C | 1 mm | 56% | 3.6 m/s | 7 |
| 1984 | 25.3°C | 19.8°C | 14.3°C | 29.8°C | 8.9°C | 0 mm | 46% | 4.1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1983 | 20.3°C | 15.8°C | 11.4°C | 27.2°C | 7.4°C | 3 mm | 72% | 3.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 20.5°C | 16.1°C | 11.7°C | 26.0°C | 7.6°C | 5 mm | 67% | 3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 22.0°C | 16.9°C | 11.9°C | 28.3°C | 7.6°C | 1 mm | 58% | 3.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 21°C with lows near 12°C (mean 16.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 10 mm of rainfall in Santa Barbara, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 83 mm in 1998.
The hottest May reached 31.5°C in 2008. The coldest dipped to 6.6°C in 1991.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 21.8°C to 20.6°C and overnight lows from 12.1°C to 11.9°C over the same span.
May is close to Santa Barbara's year-round average and one of the drier months, so plan for around 21°C daytime highs and 12°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 7th coolest month in Santa Barbara, averaging 16.5°C.
For May in Santa Barbara, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 21°C and lows of 12°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 64% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.1 m/s (1984).
The wettest May on record was 1998 with 83 mm. On average, May sees 10 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 May, 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 May specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
