Editing Goleta, California (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Gloomy Easter (4491297233).jpg|thumb|UCSB Lagoon]]
[[File:Goleta Beach (5972898584).jpg|thumb|Goleta Beach]]
[[File:Goleta shoreline.jpg|thumb|A shoreline near Goleta]]

Goleta is about {{convert|8|mi|km}} west of the city of [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]], along the coast (the coast runs east to west in this portion of southern California). Nearby is the [[University of California, Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara campus]] of the [[University of California]] and the student community of [[Isla Vista, California|Isla Vista]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|26.4|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|26.3|sqmi|km2}} are land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (0.38%) is water.

===Geology===

The Goleta Valley is a [[coastal plain]], approximately {{convert|3|miles|spell=in}} across, between the [[Santa Ynez Mountains]], the principal mountain range of southern Santa Barbara County, and the [[Pacific Ocean]].<ref name="Norris">{{cite book |title=The geology and landscape of Santa Barbara County, California|last= Norris|first= Robert M.|year= 2003|publisher= Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History|location= Santa Barbara, California|isbn= 978-0-936494-35-7|page= 33}}</ref> It consists of Holocene and Pleistocene [[alluvium]], [[colluvium]], [[estuarine]] deposits, as well as [[marine terrace]]s created during interglacial high sea level episodes. The area has been subject to rapid geologic uplift, as evidenced by its coastal bluffs and narrow beaches.<ref name="Norris"/>  Between the flattest part of the Goleta Valley and the ocean is an area of uplift paralleling the shore which includes, from west to east, Isla Vista, Mescalitan Island, More Mesa, and the Hope Ranch Hills. The elevation of this block of land relative to Goleta Valley increases from 40 to 300 feet along this length.<ref>Norris, p. 101</ref><ref name="ngmdb.usgs.gov">{{cite news|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1403/|title=Geologic Map of the Goleta Quadrangle, Santa Barbara County, California|work=[[United States Geological Survey]]|last1=Minor|first=Scott A.|last2=Kellogg|first2=Karl S.|last3=Stanley|first3=Richard G.|last4=Brandt|first4=Theodore R.|date=2007|access-date=July 14, 2017|archive-date=August 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813225554/https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1403/|url-status=live}}</ref> The uplift was caused by motion along the More Ranch Fault, one of the most geologically [[active fault]]s in the area. The More Ranch Fault roughly follows a line along El Colegio Road, through the southern part of the airport, along Atascadero Creek, and then continues east into Santa Barbara as the Mission Ridge Fault Zone.<ref name="Minor">{{cite web|url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3001/downloads/pdf/SIM3001map.pdf|title=Geologic Map of the Santa Barbara Coastal Plain Area, Santa Barbara County, California|author=Minor, S.A.|date=2009|publisher=USGS|access-date=December 20, 2015|display-authors=etal|archive-date=January 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116103534/http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3001/downloads/pdf/SIM3001map.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Soils in Goleta are mostly well drained brown fine sandy loam of the Milpitas series.<ref name="casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu">{{Cite web | url=http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/ | title=SoilWeb: An Online Soil Survey Browser &#124; California Soil Resource Lab | access-date=December 19, 2015 | archive-date=May 14, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514215427/http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Underneath the alluvial units of the coastal plain are three prominent bedrock units: the [[Monterey Formation]], the [[Sisquoc Formation]], and the [[Santa Barbara Formation]]. This latter unit is the principal groundwater aquifer for the region, and its freshwater wells are protected from seawater intrusion by the uplift along the More Ranch Fault, which has placed relatively impermeable rock units between it and the ocean.<ref>Norris, p. 95, 101</ref>

Some of the underlying sedimentary units contain economically recoverable quantities of oil and gas. The Ellwood Oil Field was worked beginning in the 1920s, with its onshore portions only being dismantled in the 1970s. The [[La Goleta Gas Field]] was formerly productive on the bluffs west of More Mesa, and is now used for gas storage by the Southern California Gas Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbcountyplanning.org/energy/projects/SoCalGasStorage.asp|title=Southern California Gas Storage Enhancement Project|publisher=Santa Barbara County|date=June 1, 2017|access-date=July 14, 2017|archive-date=August 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806010618/http://www.sbcountyplanning.org/energy/projects/SoCalGasStorage.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Santa Ynez Mountains form a scenic backdrop to Goleta. They consist of multiple layers of sandstone and [[conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]] units dating from the [[Jurassic]] Age to the present, uplifted rapidly since the [[Pliocene]]. Rapid uplift has given them their craggy, scenic character, and numerous landslides and debris flows, which form some of the urban and suburban lowland area, are testament to their geologically active nature.<ref name="ngmdb.usgs.gov"/><ref name="Minor"/> Covered by [[chaparral]], the range exceeds {{convert|4,000| feet}} in height to the northwest of Goleta, at Broadcast and Santa Ynez Peaks. [[Sundowner (wind)|Sundowner winds]] occur in both Goleta and Santa Barbara.

===Wildlife===

[[Image:GoletaMonarchCluster.jpg|thumb|right|[[Monarch (butterfly)|Monarch butterflies]] on the Ellwood Mesa]]

[[Bobcat]]s can also be seen in the area.<ref>{{cite web|date=June 1, 2014|title=Bobcat Sighting|url=http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=135162|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608075419/http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=135162|archive-date=June 8, 2014|access-date=December 3, 2020|website=Edhat}}</ref> [[Coyote]]s sometimes prey on small domestic pets.<ref>{{cite web|title=Coyotes|url=http://www.sbwcn.org/coyotes.html|website=Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network|access-date=January 29, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202052414/http://www.sbwcn.org/coyotes.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Skunk]]s sometimes spray, and often fall prey to cars, owls, dogs, and coyotes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Skunks|url=http://www.sbwcn.org/skunks.html|website=Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network|access-date=January 29, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202052454/http://www.sbwcn.org/skunks.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Raccoon]]s can become neighborhood pests.<ref>{{cite web|title=Raccoons|url=http://www.sbwcn.org/raccoons.html|website=Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network|access-date=January 29, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202052417/http://www.sbwcn.org/raccoons.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Opossum]]s commonly inhabit neighborhoods.<ref>{{cite web|title=Opossums|url=http://www.sbwcn.org/opossums.html|website=Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network|access-date=January 29, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202052416/http://www.sbwcn.org/opossums.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Dogs and cats sometimes kill small animals. [[Monarch (butterfly)|Monarch butterflies]] spend the winter in several eucalyptus groves on the Ellwood Mesa.<ref>[http://www.goletabutterflygrove.com "Goleta Butterfly Grove"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910143128/http://www.goletabutterflygrove.com/ |date=September 10, 2019 }} ''City of Goleta'' Accessed February 7, 2015</ref> [[Bear]]s and [[mountain lion]]s live in the foothills and mountains around the town, but are rarely seen by residents.<ref>{{cite web|last=Yamamura|first=Jean|date=May 11, 2016|title=Living With Wildlife|url=https://www.independent.com/2016/05/11/bear-casually-roams-west-goleta|access-date=September 17, 2020|website=SB Independent}}</ref>

===Climate===
Goleta has a [[mediterranean climate]] influenced by maritime winds from the [[Pacific Ocean]] with moderate average temperatures. Due to brief spells of winds from the interior, the warmest temperature on record is {{convert|109|F|C}} and the coldest is {{convert|20|F|C}}.<ref name=GoletaNOAA/> That is a relatively large thermal span for a shoreline town.

Chilly days and warm nights are rare. The coldest maximum temperature on record is {{convert|45|F|C}} in 1949 with the annual average between 1991 and 2020 being {{convert|54|F|C}}.<ref name=GoletaNOAA/> The warmest night measured is a freak event of {{convert|81|F|C}} during a heat snap in 1979, a full {{convert|10|F-change}} warmer than the second warmest night on record.<ref name=GoletaNOAA/> During a regular year, the warmest night is at a mild {{convert|65|F|C}}.<ref name=GoletaNOAA/>
 
{{Weather box
| location    = [[Santa Barbara Municipal Airport]] (1991–2020 normals, extremes since 1941)
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 87
| Feb record high F = 87
| Mar record high F = 94
| Apr record high F = 96
| May record high F = 101
| Jun record high F = 109
| Jul record high F = 109
| Aug record high F = 105
| Sep record high F = 104
| Oct record high F = 103
| Nov record high F = 97
| Dec record high F = 89
| year record high F = 109
| Jan avg record high F = 78
| Feb avg record high F = 77
| Mar avg record high F = 80
| Apr avg record high F = 83
| May avg record high F = 83
| Jun avg record high F = 83
| Jul avg record high F = 86
| Aug avg record high F = 83
| Sep avg record high F = 90
| Oct avg record high F = 89
| Nov avg record high F = 84
| Dec avg record high F = 76
| year avg record high F = 95
| Jan high F = 64.2
| Feb high F = 63.8
| Mar high F = 65.9
| Apr high F = 67.8
| May high F = 69.2
| Jun high F = 70.3
| Jul high F = 73.3
| Aug high F = 74.5
| Sep high F = 74.3
| Oct high F = 73.4
| Nov high F = 69.2
| Dec high F = 64.3
| year high F = 69.2
| Jan mean F = 52.8
| Feb mean F = 53.7
| Mar mean F = 56.1
| Apr mean F = 58.0
| May mean F = 60.3
| Jun mean F = 62.4
| Jul mean F = 65.7
| Aug mean F = 66.2
| Sep mean F = 65.0
| Oct mean F = 62.1
| Nov mean F = 56.7
| Dec mean F = 52.3
| year mean F = 59.3
| Jan low F = 41.3
| Feb low F = 43.6
| Mar low F = 46.2
| Apr low F = 48.1
| May low F = 51.3
| Jun low F = 54.5
| Jul low F = 58.1
| Aug low F = 58.0
| Sep low F = 55.7
| Oct low F = 50.9
| Nov low F = 44.3
| Dec low F = 40.4
| year low F = 49.4
| Jan avg record low F = 32
| Feb avg record low F = 35
| Mar avg record low F = 38
| Apr avg record low F = 41
| May avg record low F = 45
| Jun avg record low F = 49
| Jul avg record low F = 52
| Aug avg record low F = 52
| Sep avg record low F = 48
| Oct avg record low F = 43
| Nov avg record low F = 35
| Dec avg record low F = 31
| year avg record low F = 30
| Jan record low F = 24
| Feb record low F = 25
| Mar record low F = 30
| Apr record low F = 33
| May record low F = 38
| Jun record low F = 41
| Jul record low F = 45
| Aug record low F = 43
| Sep record low F = 42
| Oct record low F = 31
| Nov record low F = 30
| Dec record low F = 20
| year record low F = 20
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.84
| Feb precipitation inch = 3.86
| Mar precipitation inch = 3.10
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.91
| May precipitation inch = 0.42
| Jun precipitation inch = 0.11
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.02
| Aug precipitation inch = 0.01
| Sep precipitation inch = 0.07
| Oct precipitation inch = 0.73
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.27
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.91
| year precipitation inch = 17.25
| source 1 = NOAA<ref name=GoletaNOAA>{{cite web|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=lox|title = NOW Data forecast office Los Angeles, CA|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|accessdate = August 3, 2022}}</ref>
}}