Santa Maria, CA Climate


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Santa Maria, CA has a semi-arid climate with hot summers and mild to cool winters. The area usually sees two distinct wet seasons during the year; the first is from October to February and the second is from April to July. Average temperatures in summer range between 80-100°F, while winter temperatures range from 40-60°F. Santa Maria tends to receive less rain than other parts of California, with average annual precipitation of 11 inches and around 300 days of sunshine each year.

Santa Maria, California gets 17 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Santa Maria averages 0 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 280 sunny days per year in Santa Maria. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Santa Maria gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 46 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 76 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 39
Rain: averages 17 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Santa Maria is 8.8 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in California.

9.5 Summer - 8.1 Winter
August, July and September are the most pleasant months in Santa Maria, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateSanta Maria, CaliforniaUnited States
  16.5 in.38.1 in.
  0.0 in.27.8 in.
  46.0 days106.2 days
  280 days205 days
  76.4°85.8°
  39.2°21.7°
  8.87
  5.74.3
  217 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

August is the hottest month for Santa Maria with an average high temperature of 77.6°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in California. In Santa Maria, there are 6 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Santa Maria are August, September and July.
In Santa Maria, there are 9.9 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in California.
December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Santa Maria with an average of 38.3°. This is about average compared to other places in California.
In Santa Maria, there are 12.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in California.
In Santa Maria, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in California.
Humidity in Santa Maria is generally quite low and comfortable. There are few days during the summer when the humidity becomes unpleasant. The most humid months (but still comfortable) are July, August and September.
January is the wettest month in Santa Maria with 3.4 inches of rain, and the driest month is July with 0.0 inches. The wettest season is Spring with 57% of yearly precipitation and 1% occurs in Autumn, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 16.5 inches in Santa Maria means that it is about average compared to other places in California.
February is the rainiest month in Santa Maria with 8.2 days of rain, and July is the driest month with only 0.3 rainy days. There are 46.0 rainy days annually in Santa Maria, which is less rainy than most places in California. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 48% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 3% chance of a rainy day.
There is rarely any recorded snowfall in Santa Maria, ranking it as one of the least snowy places in California. Any measurable snowfall is a rare occurance in Santa Maria.
Reviews for Santa Maria
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Over 5 years ago

I live in Orcutt which is a town of around 35,000 on the south side of Santa Maria. Santa Maria has, as everyone has noted, the best climate in the world. It never  More

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I have lived in Santa Maria / Orcutt for several years, but it is time to leave. I have no issues with the weather. Our climate is mild and comfortable with no extremes.  More

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The weather is very mild without a huge temperature change with the seasons. The winters are chilly but not cold and the summers are warm but not hot. Of course there  More

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