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Typical March weather

Santa Barbara

California · March

Sun returning, ocean at its most unwelcoming.

66° days
46° nights

about 4 rainy days · 12 hours of daylight · ocean 55°

What to pack

What March feels like

March is when upwelling drags the coldest water of the year to the surface, so the sea is at its least inviting just as the air improves. On land it is the best hiking of the season, with creeks running in the front-country canyons.

Expect about 4 days with real rain — enough to notice, not enough to plan around. The air runs dry — whatever the thermometer says, it wears easy.

Can you swim?

The ocean runs about 55° — frigid — locals in wetsuits only.

The numbers

Typical high66°
Typical low46°
Days with real rain4
Total rain3.1 in
Humiditydry air
Water temperature55°
Sunrise / sunset (mid-month)7:08 am / 7:06 pm

How March compares

See the whole year in Santa Barbara ›