Your nature year
Santa Barbara, Californiathrough the year
Also for Goleta, CA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Santa Barbara?
The closest place we follow is Channel Islands, 28 miles away, for wildflowers, by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall (usually). For desert superbloom, the nearest is Carrizo Plain (48 mi, late March to early April (usually)).
Expect about -7 frost-free days in Santa Barbara: the last spring frost usually comes around Jan 13, the first fall one around Jan 6, going by NOAA's Santa Barbara station 1.9 miles away. About 3 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Spring green-up reaches town around Jan 23, with first blooms around Feb 14. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Kern Refuge 94 miles to the north. Statewide, California's fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 29. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Near Santa Barbara right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in CaliforniaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Jan 6 · last spring frost around Jan 13NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Santa Barbara (1.9 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- Winter wildlife · Kern Refuge · 94 miLocal timing: Birding is best on the refuge from October through March~1 day
Your guide around Santa Barbara
Nearby, season by season
Desert superbloom
- Carrizo Plain · 48 miUsually: late March to early April~6 months
Wildflowers
- Channel Islands · 28 miUsually: by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall~4 months
Winter wildlife
- Kern Refuge · 94 miLocal timing: Birding is best on the refuge from October through March~1 day
Santa Barbara's nature year
- Wildflowers · Channel IslandsJan–Mar
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Jan: Last spring frostJan
- Jan: First fall frostJan
- Desert superbloom · Carrizo PlainMar–Apr
- Oct: Fall color (CA)Oct
- Winter wildlife · Kern RefugeOct–Mar
Santa Barbara's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 13 to ~Jan 6
- First leaf ~Jan 23
- First bloom ~Feb 14
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 13
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Jan 6
About -7 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 23
First bloom around Feb 14
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Santa Barbara (1.9 mi from Santa Barbara), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Santa Barbara?
On average around Jan 6, and the last spring frost around Jan 13: about -7 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Santa Barbara, 1.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Santa Barbara?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 23 and first bloom around Feb 14, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see desert superbloom near Santa Barbara?
Carrizo Plain, 48 miles (usually: late March to early April). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Santa Barbara?
Channel Islands, 28 miles (usually: by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall). Distances are straight-line.
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 29)