Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 93160 — Santa Barbara, CA

ZIP code 93160 (Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 93160 is

tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone10a30 to 35 °F
Coldest night−1.1 to 1.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone10a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 10a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Santa Barbara, CA…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station Santa Barbara, CA — within 1 mile, elevation 16 ft) the median growing season is 365 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 93160 came on Jan 17 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Soil in Santa Barbara, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 93160 is Milpitas — fine sandy loam, moderately well drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Milpitas-Positas fine sandy loams, 2 to 9 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 93160; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Santa Barbara, CA

Summer high78 °Faverage high, August
Winter low46 °Faverage low, December
Hot days5days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,595base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 28 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 51 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation19 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°January: average high 67 °F, low 47 °F 67°47° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 47 °F 67°47° FebMarch: average high 68 °F, low 49 °F 68°49° MarApril: average high 71 °F, low 51 °F 71°51° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 54 °F 72°54° MayJune: average high 73 °F, low 57 °F 73°57° JunJuly: average high 76 °F, low 60 °F 76°60° JulAugust: average high 78 °F, low 60 °F 78°60° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 60 °F 78°60° SepOctober: average high 76 °F, low 56 °F 76°56° OctNovember: average high 71 °F, low 50 °F 71°50° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 46 °F 66°46° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 4.43 in precipitation 4.4 JanFebruary: 4.41 in precipitation 4.4 FebMarch: 3.20 in precipitation 3.2 MarApril: 1.01 in precipitation 1.0 AprMay: 0.41 in precipitation 0.4 MayJune: 0.14 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.01 in precipitation 0.0 JulAugust: 0.01 in precipitation 0.0 AugSeptember: 0.05 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 0.84 in precipitation 0.8 OctNovember: 1.40 in precipitation 1.4 NovDecember: 3.07 in precipitation 3.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Santa Barbara, CA (within 1 mile); precipitation: Santa Barbara, CA (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

8 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

9310210b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9312010b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9312110b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9313010b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9314010b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9315010b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9319010b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi
9310110b
Santa Barbara, CA · <1 mi

All 17 ZIP codes in Santa Barbara → · California planting zones →

Questions about 93160

What planting zone is ZIP code 93160?

ZIP code 93160 (Santa Barbara, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 10a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 30 to 35 °F (−1.1 to 1.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 93160 get?

About 19 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Santa Barbara station).

How hot do summers get in Santa Barbara, CA?

The average high peaks at 78 °F in August, with about 5 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 93160 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Milpitas at the center of ZIP 93160: fine sandy loam, moderately well drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Santa Barbara, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 93160 came on Jan 17 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Santa Barbara, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 93160 is 14 h 28 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.