Conditions at Santa Barbara in March
March: Late-Winter Transition
March retains solid winter energy: average swell 2.7m (8.9ft), average period 11.7s. The northerly component becomes more important - NNW jumps to 11.6% while the favourable N/NNE/NE/ENE quadrant totals about 13%. This month is notorious for strong groundswell meeting the first signs of spring weather. Wind, however, is fickle: ideal S/SW/WSW offshore wind drops to just 13%, and N-NE onshore winds are now close to 23%, often blowing straight out of the onshore/cross-shore sector. Average water temp dips to 16.0°C, air is around 15.3°C, and rain is still 1.91 mm/day. Expect powerful but wind-affected sessions; pick the windows where a S/SW breeze cleans up the lines.
Average Spot conditions at Santa Barbara in March
Swell history for March
Wind history for March
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Santa Barbara during March. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Santa Barbara for your next trip in March.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Santa Barbara for March. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Santa Barbara.