Surf Forecast Surf Report
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El Capitan location map

El Capitan surf Forecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA

12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 10 pm Thursday 09 May 2024 PDT
Forecast update in  hr  min  s Update imminent
El Capitan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's El Capitan sea temperature is 12.7°C (Statistics for 09 May 1981-2005 - mean: 14.0 °C max: 15.8 °C min: 12.3 °C)
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  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.leaflet.map_placeholder_alt">Map Placeholder Alt</span>
El Capitan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's El Capitan sea temperature is 12.7°C (Statistics for 09 May 1981-2005 - mean: 14.0 °C max: 15.8 °C min: 12.3 °C)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Capitan this week:

The surf forecast for El Capitan over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (May 10) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 11s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at El Capitan in the next 12 days are 1.2m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (May 15) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Thursday (May 16) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Fri 10th May)1.5ft (0.5m) 19s
Best Surf 8AM (Wed 15th May)3.5ft (1.0m) 12s
Most Powerful11PM (Wed 15th May)4ft (1.2m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Capitan over the next 12 days.

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Quick surf report for El Capitan:

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Updates in  hr  min  s Update imminent
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tue
21
NightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
0.8
WNW
0.7
WNW
0.4
SW
0.4
SW
0.5
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.7
SW
0.7
SW
0.7
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.8
WNW
1
WNW
0.6
SSW
0.6
SSW
0.6
SSW
0.6
SSW
0.6
SSW
0.7
SW
0.7
SW
0.6
SSW
0.6
SW
0.8
SW
1
SW
1.1
SW
0.9
SW
1
SW
0.9
SSW
0.9
SW
0.8
SSW
1
SSW
1.1
SSW
Period(s) (?)121120191818181716161616151515121214141414161717201919181818171616191717
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy (?)15610598131157249249222268261258198181174174187292152131131136160309305275303446600703444567452367419615742
Wind
(km/h)
0
ESE
10
SSW
10
WSW
5
N
10
SSW
10
W
10
NNW
10
S
15
W
10
NNW
10
S
15
WSW
5
WNW
10
SSW
10
WSW
5
N
10
SW
15
WSW
5
N
10
SW
15
WSW
5
NNE
10
SW
5
N
10
N
5
SSW
5
WNW
15
ESE
15
SE
10
SSW
5
ESE
10
SSE
10
SW
5
E
10
SSW
10
SW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
glasscross-
on
crossoffcross-
on
crossoffoncrosscross-
off
oncrossglasscross-
on
cross-
on
glasscross-
on
cross-
on
glasscross-
on
cross-
on
glasscross-
on
offoffcross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
crosscross-
on
cross-
on
glasscross-
on
cross-
on
High Tide
/ height (m)
10:56PM
2.30
1:25PM
1.47
11:38PM
2.18
2:43PM
1.44
12:25AM
2.04
4:09PM
1.45
1:19AM
1.88
5:21PM
1.51
2:26AM
1.73
6:07PM
1.58
3:46AM
1.61
6:39PM
1.65
5:06AM
1.54
7:02PM
1.72
6:16AM
1.50
7:23PM
1.80
7:16AM
1.49
7:42PM
1.88
8:09AM
1.49
8:03PM
1.96
8:59AM
1.49
8:25PM
2.04
9:47AM
1.48
Low Tide
/ height (m)
6:29AM
0.07
5:19PM
1.21
7:24AM
0.17
6:05PM
1.31
8:24AM
0.28
7:11PM
1.38
9:26AM
0.38
8:57PM
1.40
10:26AM
0.46
10:49PM
1.34
11:18AM
0.53
12:08AM
1.21
12:00PM
0.60
1:02AM
1.05
12:36PM
0.67
1:44AM
0.88
1:07PM
0.75
2:20AM
0.71
1:36PM
0.84
2:54AM
0.55
2:04PM
0.92
3:28AM
0.41
2:32PM
1.01
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tue
21
Sunrise-6:01--6:00--5:58--5:58--5:56--5:56--5:56--5:54--5:54--5:54--5:52--5:52-
Sunset--7:52--7:52--7:52--7:53--7:54--7:55--7:55--7:57--7:58--7:59--7:59--8:00
clearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearpart cloudclearclearlight rainrain showersclearclearpart cloudclearpart cloudrain showersclearclearclearclearclear
Rain (mm)
-----------------------11-----1-----
Temp. °C152021192324212124192122181920151819151921182123202224201920151920142021
Feels °C (?)151819172222182023161920161718131617141719162023202224201819161919131920

Short Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 6-9 Weather Summary Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Long Range Forecast: Some drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our El Capitan surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the El Capitan Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for El Capitan provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at El Capitan can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Capitan surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (El Capitan) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for El Capitan may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

El Capitan is 16 km (10 miles) from Isla Vista. If you plan a vacation in Santa Barbara, look for hotels and other accommodation in Isla Vista. Isla Vista has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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