AN SMA VFR PVT PLT IN A NIGHT OP RUNS INTO RAIN SHOWERS AND CLOUDS OFF THE COAST NEAR SBA. HE GETS VECTORS FROM SOCAL APCH AND DIVERTS TO SBA FOR THE NIGHT.

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I WAS FLYING FROM SAN DIEGO TO REID HILLVIEW ARPT (SAN JOSE) VFR ALONG THE COAST. I TRANSITIONED THE HOLLYWOOD PARK CORRIDOR THROUGH LOS ANGELES'S CLASS B AIRSPACE. THERE WERE SOME CUMULUS FORMATIONS ALONG THE WAY; BUT IT STILL REMAINED VFR. CONDITIONS N OF SANTA BARBARA WERE RPTED CLR AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. I EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURB 2-5 MI S OF SANTA BARBARA. THE TIME WAS XA00Z WHEN I PASSED SANTA BARBARA ARPT. I WAS TRACKING 120 DEG RADIAL MORROW BAY VOR AND TRIANGULATING WITH THE FELLOWS VOR. THE NIGHT WAS EXTREMELY DARK WITH NO MOON. I PASSED SANTA BARBARA AND WAS TALKING TO APCH WHEN I LOST ALL VISUAL CONTACT WITH GND DUE TO THERE BEING VERY LITTLE TO NO LIGHTS N OF SANTA BARBARA. I WAS STILL EXPERIENCING TURB AND THEN RAIN. I THEN TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT TO SEE THE CONDITIONS IN FRONT OF ME AND THEN KNEW I FLEW INTO A CUMULUS FORMATION. I THEN CONTACTED SANTA BARBARA APCH; TOLD THEM I WAS A VFR PLT IN IMC; AND REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO SANTA BARBARA ARPT. APCH HANDED ME OFF TO SOCAL APCH AND I RECEIVED VECTORS INTO VFR CONDITIONS. I LANDED AT SANTA BARBARA AND STAYED THE NIGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE CUMULUS FORMATION I FLEW INTO DUE TO THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT AND THE LOSS OF VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD REALIZED THE SEVERITY OF THE TURB PRIOR TO SANTA BARBARA; AND HAD DECIDED TO LAND AT SANTA BARBARA. THE NIGHT ALSO BECAME TOO DARK FOR VFR FLT ALONG THE COAST IN THAT AREA.