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 4 pm Thursday 18 Apr 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 13.2°C (Statistics for 18 Apr 1981-2005 - mean: 13.6 °C max: 15.3 °C min: 12.3 °C)
  • Map Icons:
  • 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 13.2°C (Statistics for 18 Apr 1981-2005 - mean: 13.6 °C max: 15.3 °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 Thursday (Apr 18) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at El Capitan in the next 12 days are 1.3m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Apr 22) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Apr 25) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Thu 18th Apr)3ft (0.9m) 15s
Best Surf 8PM (Thu 18th Apr)3ft (0.9m) 15s
Most Powerful 5PM (Mon 22nd Apr)4.5ft (1.3m) 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
Thu
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Wednesday
24
Thursday
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tue
30
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
0.9
SSW
0.9
SSW
0.8
SSW
0.7
SSW
0.7
SSW
0.7
SSW
0.6
SSW
1.4
NW
1.4
WNW
0.7
SSW
0.7
SSW
1.2
WNW
1.3
WNW
1.1
WNW
1
WNW
1
WNW
0.7
SSW
0.6
S
0.8
SSW
0.8
WNW
0.4
SW
0.7
SSW
0.5
SW
0.6
SW
2
WNW
1.8
WNW
1.5
WNW
1.6
WNW
1.4
WNW
1.4
WNW
1.4
WNW
1.4
WNW
1.2
WNW
1.2
WNW
1.1
WNW
1.1
WNW
Period(s) (?)151414141414187816161212111211161616101914181878910101010989911
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy (?)309301239213198189211223224257229380422308288268223181280125106186152246383435352461394394378313197222181297
Wind
(km/h)
10
SW
0
N
10
SW
15
WNW
5
NNW
10
SW
5
W
5
NNE
5
WSW
10
WNW
5
NE
5
S
10
SW
5
W
10
S
10
WSW
5
NNW
10
SW
25
W
15
NNW
15
WNW
25
NW
20
NNW
20
NW
30
NW
15
NNW
10
WNW
20
NW
10
NNW
10
SW
20
NW
10
NNW
10
SW
20
NW
10
NNW
5
SSW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
on
glasscross-
on
crossglasscross-
on
crossglasscross-
on
cross-
off
glassoncross-
on
glassoncross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
on
crosscross-
off
crosscross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
crosscross-
off
offcross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
on
cross-
off
offcross-
on
High Tide
/ height (m)
8:21PM
1.73
7:44AM
1.72
8:38PM
1.80
8:26AM
1.71
8:56PM
1.87
9:07AM
1.70
9:14PM
1.94
9:48AM
1.66
9:34PM
2.00
10:30AM
1.60
9:56PM
2.04
11:14AM
1.53
10:20PM
2.07
12:02PM
1.45
10:46PM
2.07
12:58PM
1.37
11:16PM
2.05
2:13PM
1.31
11:52PM
2.01
4:30PM
1.31
12:39AM
1.95
1:45AM
1.87
Low Tide
/ height (m)
2:04AM
0.96
2:10PM
0.55
2:38AM
0.81
2:35PM
0.62
3:10AM
0.67
2:59PM
0.70
3:43AM
0.54
3:23PM
0.79
4:18AM
0.44
3:45PM
0.90
4:53AM
0.37
4:07PM
1.00
5:31AM
0.34
4:28PM
1.10
6:14AM
0.35
4:46PM
1.18
7:02AM
0.37
5:01PM
1.25
8:01AM
0.40
4:51PM
1.31
9:08AM
0.41
10:15AM
0.40
Thu
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Wednesday
24
Thursday
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tue
30
Sunrise--6:22--6:20--6:20--6:18--6:18--6:16--6:15--6:13--6:13--6:11--6:11--6:09
Sunset7:34--7:35--7:36--7:37--7:37--7:37--7:38--7:39--7:40--7:42--7:42--7:43--
clearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearpart cloudpart cloudclearclearpart cloudpart cloudclearclearclearpart cloudpart cloudclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearpart cloud
Rain (mm)
------------------------------------
Temp. °C201418211419221622251619191314161215171216191216171218201218211119201217
Feels °C (?)201516181218221621241419181212141013148131481211716169161881717815

Short Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 6-9 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Long Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

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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