Beach Guide

Santa Barbara East Beach Conditions Today

Santa Barbara East Beach right now: water 72°F, surf 3–4 ft, wind 7 mph from the WSW. Next high tide at 3:45 PM.

live · NOAA + Open-Meteo

yellow

3–4 ft

surf

Overcast, high near 74°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window.

forecast

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

or watch the whole day fly by

73°

Air

70°

Feels

72°

Water

6 mph

Wind

5

UV

0%

Rain

Hour by Hour

tap an hour

Rain OutlookOpen-Meteo

tap an hour
6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Top rain chance is just 0% — pack the sunscreen, not the umbrella.

Tide

0.3 ft · falling ↘

Next low tide

12:24 PM 0.2 ft

T−…

1.9 ft of drop from the 7:54 AM high; the wet sand is widest from about 11:24 AM.

HIGHLOWrisingfalling
12A6A12P6P12A
High 7:54 AM
Low 12:24 PM
High 8:18 PM
drag the chart to scrub

Wind

NESW

6 mph

from the SW

UV Index

5

Moderate

easy sunscreen day

Time to Burn

UV 5 · incl. sand glare
29min

for unprotected fair skin (burns easily, tans a little). SPF 30+, reapply every 2 hours and after every swim.

An estimate from the standard erythemal dose model, not a medical limit. Darker skin burns more slowly than this, people vary either way, and sunscreen only helps if you use enough of it and reapply.

Rip Current Riskestimated

today
ESCAPE: SWIM PARALLEL
Low
Moderate
High

Currents strong enough to pull swimmers offshore. Stay near a lifeguard tower.

Caught in one? Don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you’re free, then angle back in.

Beach Flag

Yellow Flag

stay close to shore

estimated · trust the lifeguard

Water Quality

bacteria testing

Santa Barbara has been posted or closed for bacteria 115 times since 2022, most often for bacterial standards violation.

12
2022
55
2023
23
2024
17
2025
8
2026

This is history, not today. The state archive runs months behind (through 2026-03-06), so check the county for the current posting.

Today’s official result

Source: Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services

Water by Monthtypical

avg 2021–2024
59
J
58
F
57
M
57
A
60
M
63
J
65
J
69
A
68
S
65
O
61
N
60
D

Warmest around August (69°), coolest around March (57°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Santa Barbara East Beach station 9411340); temps, wind, UV, waves and water temp are live from Open-Meteo; rip current risk from the NWS surf-zone forecast. Flag status is estimated from wave height and wind, so always trust the lifeguard’s actual flag over this app.

Santa Barbara East Beach conditions today

The water at Santa Barbara East Beach is 72°F (22°C) today, 12°F warmer than the usual 61°F for November. For swimming it is cool but swimmable. Waves are 3–4 ft (rough). The air is 74°F, feeling like 70°F, with light 7 mph winds from the WSW. The UV index reaches 5 (moderate). The National Weather Service rip current risk is moderate.

The water holds steady around 72°F through Sun Nov 8.

Santa Barbara East Beach 7-day forecast

The week ahead at Santa Barbara East Beach, day by day: the sky, the high, the strongest wind and the biggest waves, the UV peak and the daytime chance of rain, and the water temperature. The calmest day for a swim looks like Sun Nov 8.

DaySkyHighWindWavesUVRainWater
TodayCloudy74°F9 mph3.2 ft50%72°F
Tue Nov 3Cloudy75°F14 mph3.8 ft50%72°F
Wed Nov 4Partly cloudy70°F12 mph4.8 ft50%72°F
Thu Nov 5Cloudy74°F6 mph4.3 ft50%72°F
Fri Nov 6Sunny77°F6 mph3.5 ft50%72°F
Sat Nov 7Sunny80°F7 mph3.3 ft40%72°F
Sun Nov 8Sunny79°F6 mph2.9 ft40%72°F

Tide times at Santa Barbara East Beach

High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 9411340. Heights are in feet above the average low tide. The shell window is the last hour and a quarter of the ebb and the first three-quarters of the flood around the day’s lowest daylight low, when the most sand is bare; the lowest low of the week is marked.

Highs and lows, this weekNOAA
DayTide 1Tide 2Tide 3Tide 4Shell window
TodayHigh 5:05 AM 4.3Low 10:15 AM 2.8High 3:45 PM 4.8Low 10:53 PM 0.19:00 AM–11:00 AM
Tue Nov 3High 5:42 AM 4.7Low 11:28 AM 2.1High 5:02 PM 4.6Low 11:38 PM 0.410:13 AM–12:13 PM
Wed Nov 4High 6:15 AM 5.2Low 12:25 PM 1.4High 6:09 PM 4.5—11:10 AM–1:10 PM
Thu Nov 5Low 12:17 AM 0.7High 6:45 AM 5.5Low 1:14 PM 0.7High 7:07 PM 4.411:59 AM–1:59 PM
Fri Nov 6Low 12:51 AM 1.1High 7:13 AM 5.8Low 1:57 PM 0.2High 8:00 PM 4.212:42 PM–2:42 PM
Sat Nov 7Low 1:21 AM 1.5High 7:41 AM 6.0Low 2:37 PM -0.2High 8:47 PM 4.11:22 PM–3:22 PM
Sun Nov 8Low 1:48 AM 1.9High 8:07 AM 6.1Low 3:14 PM -0.3High 9:33 PM 3.91:59 PM–3:59 PM · best

Santa Barbara East Beach water temperature by month

The average sea temperature at Santa Barbara East Beach for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in August (69°F) and coolest in March (57°F). It never averages 74°F, so most swimmers use a wetsuit.

MonthWater °FWater °CFor swimming
January59°F15°CCold
February58°F14°CCold
March57°F14°CCold
April57°F14°CCold
May60°F15°CCold
June63°F17°CChilly
July65°F19°CChilly
August69°F20°CCool
September68°F20°CCool
October65°F18°CChilly
November (now)61°F16°CChilly
December60°F15°CCold

Staying safe at Santa Barbara East Beach

Rip currents. Today’s National Weather Service rip current risk is moderate. If a current pulls you away from shore, don’t fight it: swim parallel to the beach until you are out of it, then swim back in. If you can’t, float and wave for help.

Sun. The UV index peaks at 5 today. Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

Water quality. Santa Barbara East Beach has been posted or closed for bacteria 115 times since 2022, about 23 a year, most often for bacterial standards violation. Official sampling results →

Dogs. Dogs are not allowed on this beach.

Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Santa Barbara East Beach rules page covers dogs, alcohol, fires and more.

How to read beach conditions

Waves

Under 1 ft is calm, good for small children and floating. 1–2 ft is small, fine for most swimmers. 2–4 ft is moderate: fun for bodyboarding, harder for weak swimmers. 4–6 ft is rough, and over 6 ft is dangerous for swimming. Today at Santa Barbara East Beach it’s rough.

Wind

Under 8 mph is light and pleasant. 8–15 mph is breezy, good for kites and cooler on a hot day. 15–25 mph blows sand and whips up the water. Over 25 mph most people pack up. Today at Santa Barbara East Beach it’s light.

UV index

0–2 is low, 3–5 moderate, 6–7 high, 8–10 very high and 11 or more extreme. At 8 or more, fair skin can burn in under 20 minutes. The UV index is highest around midday even when it is cloudy.

Water temperature

Under 60°F is cold and most people want a wetsuit. 68–73°F is cool but swimmable. 74–79°F feels comfortable, and 80°F or more feels warm.

Santa Barbara East Beach conditions FAQ

What is the water temperature at Santa Barbara East Beach today?

72°F (22°C), 12°F warmer than the usual 61°F for November.

Is the water warm enough to swim at Santa Barbara East Beach today?

At 72°F the water is cool but swimmable. Waves are 3–4 ft, which is rough. The rip current risk is moderate.

How big are the waves at Santa Barbara East Beach today?

3–4 ft, which is rough. The wind is 7 mph from the WSW.

What time is high tide at Santa Barbara East Beach today?

High tide is at 5:05 AM and 3:45 PM, and low tide is at 10:15 AM and 10:53 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.

What is the UV index at Santa Barbara East Beach today?

The UV index peaks at 5 (moderate). Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

Is there a rip current risk at Santa Barbara East Beach today?

The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Santa Barbara East Beach moderate today. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of it, then swim back in.

What is the beach weather at Santa Barbara East Beach this week?

Highs run 70–80°F over the next 7 days. No day has a strong chance of rain. The calmest day for a swim looks like Sun Nov 8.

What is the water temperature at Santa Barbara East Beach in November?

The water at Santa Barbara East Beach averages about 61°F (16°C) in November.

When is the water warmest at Santa Barbara East Beach?

August is the warmest month, averaging 69°F. March is the coolest, at 57°F.

What is the best time of year to swim at Santa Barbara East Beach?

The water never averages 74°F here. It is warmest in August, at 69°F, so bring a wetsuit most of the year.

Conditions at beaches near Santa Barbara East Beach

The usual water temperature in November at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.

Rincon Point conditions11 mi61°F
Ventura conditions23 mi61°F
El Matador State Beach conditions52 mi62°F
Zuma Beach conditions55 mi62°F
Santa Monica conditions72 mi62°F
Venice Beach conditions74 mi62°F

More for Santa Barbara East Beach: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →