Santa Barbara County Reaches 127 Year Rain Record, Reporting 400% Above Normal Rates

Several areas in Santa Barbara County experienced rainfall 400% to 500% above normal, as a rainstorm swept through the region, according to data released by the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District on November 17, 2025.

Santa Barbara (County Building) received 0.53 inches of rain in the past 24 hours and 8.38 inches of rain in the past four days, the County’s Rainfall and Reservoir Summary stated. 

This was considerably higher than at other locations, such as Goleta and Lompoc, which received 0.67 inches and 0.51 inches of rain respectively in the past 24 hours. 

The only location that received more rainfall than Santa Barbara was San Marcos Pass, which recorded 1.66 inches of rain in the past 24 hours and 13.09 inches of rain in the last four days, according to the summary. 

Despite being only mid-November, Santa Barbara County witnessed higher-than-normal rainfall this year. Rainfall in the county reached 458% of the normal-to-date percentage, the summary revealed. 

Many locations in the county received rainfall 400% to 500% above normal. These include Santa Barbara City (556%), Cachuma Dam (536%), San Marcos Pass (521%), Santa Ynez (497%), and Goleta (494%). 

Santa Barbara County Flood Control District’s Senior Hydrologist, Shawn Johnson, reports Santa Barbara County has experienced one of the wettest starts to a water-year on record through November.

The City of Santa Barbara, with rain records dating back to 1899-1900, has already reported the wettest water-year start on record through November with over 9.5 inches of rain so far this water-year.

November has reached a new record accounting for most of that rain, with over 8″ this month alone. More rain is forecasted this week, and we’re only half-way through November, Johnson reported.

Water-year 2026 eclipsed water-year 1983 as the wettest start on record in the City of Santa Barbara over the past 127 years, with 1983 also one of the wettest years on record in Santa Barbara County.

Overall, the county received 44% of the average full water year’s rainfall so far, although the wet season has only begun and making this one of the wettest early-season periods. 

Soil moisture levels, assessed at three locations (Figueroa Mtn, Gibraltar Dam, and Lompoc), were in the moderate range. This means that the ground is neither dry nor yet saturated as well.

The rainstorm caused some changes in the storage levels at the county’s reservoirs. The Cachuma Reservoir is full and subject to spilling at an elevation of 750 feet. However, the lake is surcharged to 753 feet for fish release water, the summary said. 

The Jameson Reservoir is 80.1% full, currently holding about 3,881 acre-feet of water. 

However, a wet start to the water-year does not necessarily predict a wetter-than-normal year, states Johnson. Previous very wet starts to the water-year (through November) include 1927, 1966, and 1983, and were the only other years since 1900 that recorded over 7″ of rain through November in Santa Barbara City.

Of those years, 1927 was close to normal water-year rainfall at 22.73″, 1966 ended up drier than normal at 14.15″, and 1983 was much wetter than normal at 41.41″ (SB City mean WY rainfall =18.44″).

Heavy rainfall on November 17, 2025, caused significant flooding at several places in the City of Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Police Department advised motorists to avoid driving through standing water and to exercise caution while driving through the city. 

While rain is expected to wind down this week, the County of Santa Barbara is expected to witness another significant storm through November 18, 2025. The storm may cause roads to flood, small-stream flooding, and additional mud and rock slides. 

Residents have been advised to travel with caution as the stormy conditions may make driving difficult. Highway 166 is expected to experience debris flows, flooding, and road closures.