Climate snapshot for alpacas
100/100Alpaca climate comfort score
83°FAverage high, Aug
39°FAverage low, Dec
~10Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~19Frost nights per year
19 inAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 100/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 40°F | 4.3 in | 143 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 61°F | 40°F | 4.5 in | 142 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 64°F | 42°F | 3.2 in | 139 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 67°F | 43°F | 1.2 in | 139 · ok | grass |
| May | 72°F | 47°F | 0.4 in | 125 · ok | — |
| Jun | 77°F | 51°F | 0.1 in | 113 · ok | — |
| Jul | 82°F | 56°F | 0.0 in | 110 · ok | — |
| Aug | 83°F | 56°F | 0.0 in | 115 · ok | — |
| Sep | 81°F | 54°F | 0.1 in | 120 · caution | — |
| Oct | 75°F | 49°F | 0.8 in | 117 · ok | — |
| Nov | 67°F | 43°F | 1.4 in | 131 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 61°F | 39°F | 3.0 in | 141 · ok | grass |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: NOAA nClimDiv 1991–2020 county normals.
Alpaca care calendar for Santa Barbara County, California
January 62° / 40°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Toenail check and trim.
February 61° / 40°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
March 64° / 42°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 67° / 43°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Secure winter hay: about 16 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 72° / 47°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 77° / 51°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 82° / 56°F
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 83° / 56°F
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
September 81° / 54°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 75° / 49°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 67° / 43°F
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 61° / 39°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Jan–Apr (breed in Feb–May).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Nov–Apr (about 6 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
- Selenium: Selenium levels vary across the state. Test hay or blood before changing supplements.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Santa Barbara County, California are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet. If you keep alpacas here, consider adding your farm to OpenStreetMap — it will appear on this page after the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Santa Barbara County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Santa Barbara County, California scores 100/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Santa Barbara County, California?
Plan shearing for March, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Santa Barbara County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Jan–Apr. For births then, breed females in Feb–May (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Santa Barbara County, California?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 34.537, -120.038 · land area 2,734 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.