May is an ideal time to visit Santa Barbara if you're seeking a destination with brilliant weather. Anticipate average maximum temperatures of +24°C and about 17 sunny days, ensuring you'll have ample opportunities to soak up the sunshine. It's worth noting, though, that there may be some rainfall, with approximately 11 mm of precipitation over an average of 5 rainy days. So, prepare your sunglasses, a beach towel, and great walking shoes, as it's most likely going to be amazing weather. Search flightsin one click on Avionero.
Average weather
☀️
+24°C
Avg. max. temperature
+8°C
Min.
+34°C
Max.
11 mm
Total precipitation
62%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
17 ☀️
Sunny Days
9 ⛅️
Cloudy
5 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Santa Barbara has great weather in May.
Avionero - Smarter Travel Planning for a Better World
Cheapest prices on the market!
Check all your dates and date combinations in a single search!
Want inspiration, set your dates and find the cheapest destinations!
Saves your searches in the browser so you can easily return to them!
Donates 10% of all revenue to charity!
Average temperature in Santa Barbara in May
Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Santa Barbara for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Going from a maximum of +25°C during the day to a minimum of +8°C during the night, the temperature in May averages around +21°C.
The average maximum temperature goes down 6% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +20°C to +19°C.
Is Santa Barbara warm or cold in May?
Santa Barbara is typically warm in May.
Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +22°C to +24°C. The minimum temperature also goes up from +13°C to +14°C.
It’s generally warm, but pack a long-sleeve shirt for evenings.
Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Santa Barbara:
Climate in Santa Barbara in May
Santa Barbara weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
April
May
June
Avg. temperature
+22°C
+24°C
+26°C
Min. temperature
+7°C
+8°C
+11°C
Max. temperature
+35°C
+34°C
+36°C
Rainfall
25 mm
11 mm
3 mm
Wind
2 m/s
2 m/s
1 m/s
Humidity
61%
62%
61%
Air pressure
1014 HPa
1012 HPa
1011 HPa
Sunny days
14
17
22
Cloudy days
10
9
6
Rainy days
6
5
3
Snowy days
0
0
0
May often has better weather than April.It’s getting warmer as May arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +22°C to +24°C during the day.As May arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 25 mm to 11 mm.Humidity rises from 61% to 62%.The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 2 m/s.The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in May, from 14 to 17.
June brings much the same weather, it remains great.
Wind speed in Santa Barbara in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The average wind speed is 1 m/s getting up to 2 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.
The average wind speed in Santa Barbara is gradually increasing during May, going from 1 m/s to 2 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Santa Barbara based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 48% chance of rain on an average day in May, with total rainfall of approximately 53 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 26 mm, which is moderate rain.May is a pretty wet month with over 15 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of galoshes.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Santa Barbara wettest month is February, where a typical day has a 32% chance of precipitation and 94 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 10% chance of precipitation and 2 mm of rainfall per day.
How was the weather last May in Santa Barbara?
This is the weather in Santa Barbara in May 2024:
1 May
☀️
+20°C
2 May
☀️
+20°C
3 May
☁️
+16°C
4 May
🌧️
+16°C
5 May
🌧️
+18°C
6 May
☀️
+21°C
7 May
☁️
+20°C
8 May
☀️
+22°C
9 May
☀️
+21°C
10 May
☀️
+21°C
11 May
☀️
+20°C
12 May
☀️
+23°C
13 May
☀️
+25°C
14 May
☀️
+24°C
15 May
☁️
+23°C
16 May
☁️
+24°C
17 May
☀️
+24°C
18 May
☀️
+25°C
19 May
☀️
+22°C
20 May
☁️
+23°C
21 May
☀️
+24°C
22 May
☁️
+23°C
23 May
☀️
+21°C
24 May
☁️
+18°C
25 May
☁️
+19°C
26 May
☀️
+19°C
27 May
☀️
+19°C
28 May
☀️
+20°C
29 May
☁️
+19°C
30 May
☁️
+19°C
31 May
☁️
+19°C
In May 2024 Santa Barbara had 18 sunny days, 11 cloudy days, and 2 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +21°C, with an absolute maximum of +25°C and a minimum of +16°C. The average humidity was 74%, with a maximum of 98% and a minimum of 29%. The average wind speed was 1 m/s, with a maximum of 4 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?
Climate Change over Years
This is how Santa Barbara climate have been changing during last 43 years period.
The climate in Santa Barbara in May has not changed much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 2010 (+21°C) and the highest in 2015 (+25°C). The driest year was 2013 with only 117 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2023 with 1100 mm.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the weather in Santa Barbara in May:
Is May a good time to visit Santa Barbara?
Yes, May is a great time to go to Santa Barbara, the weather couldn’t be better. Be ready to get outside, explore and enjoy. Check what other months that are a good time to visit Santa Barbara.
Can you sunbathe in Santa Barbara in May?
May is warm in Santa Barbara. You may enjoy some beach or pool time in the day, but pack something a tad warmer for the evening.
Is Santa Barbara rainy in May?
Santa Barbara is usually dry in May. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.
Is it sunny in Santa Barbara in May?
The amount of sunny days in Santa Barbara during May varies; prepare for a mix of clouds and sun.
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Santa Barbara, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.
For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.
