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 Saturday 18 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 13.5°C (Statistics for 18 May 1981-2005 - mean: 14.3 °C max: 16.1 °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 13.5°C (Statistics for 18 May 1981-2005 - mean: 14.3 °C max: 16.1 °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 Sunday (May 19) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 11s. 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 2.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (May 21) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Sunday (May 26) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Sun 19th May)3.5ft (1.1m) 18s
Best Surf 5AM (Sun 19th May)3.5ft (1.1m) 18s
Most Powerful 5AM (Tue 21st May)6.5ft (2.0m) 11s

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

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Updates in  hr  min  s Update imminent
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thu
30
NightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.1
SW
0.9
SW
0.9
SSW
1.1
SW
1.1
SW
0.8
SSW
1.6
WNW
1
SSW
0.8
SSW
1.6
WNW
2
WNW
2
WNW
1.8
WNW
1.6
WNW
1.7
WNW
1.5
WNW
1.3
WNW
1.1
WNW
0.9
WNW
0.5
SSW
0.5
SSW
0.3
SW
1.3
WNW
1.8
WNW
1.7
WNW
1.2
WNW
1.5
WNW
1.5
WNW
1.2
WNW
1.7
WNW
2
WNW
1.9
WNW
2.5
WNW
2.5
WNW
2
WNW
2.1
WNW
Period(s) (?)171818171619121718111099910988813131866787787888999
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy (?)6954445416796104246696153905507266434644245633932121841131019968140257320159198209172302500500819986672686
Wind
(km/h)
5
NNW
10
SW
10
W
10
NNW
15
WNW
25
W
15
NNW
10
S
15
W
5
N
10
SW
15
WNW
15
NNW
15
WNW
25
WNW
15
NNW
10
WSW
25
WNW
15
NNW
20
WNW
25
WNW
15
NNW
10
W
20
WNW
15
NNW
10
WSW
20
WNW
15
NNW
10
WSW
20
NW
15
NNW
15
WNW
25
NW
20
NNW
10
W
25
NW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
glasscross-
on
crossoffcrosscrosscross-
off
oncrossglasscross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
crosscross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
offcrosscross-
off
offcross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
on
cross-
off
offcross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
crosscross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
8:09AM
1.49
8:03PM
1.96
8:59AM
1.49
8:25PM
2.04
9:47AM
1.48
8:50PM
2.10
10:34AM
1.47
9:18PM
2.15
11:21AM
1.44
9:49PM
2.18
12:12PM
1.41
10:23PM
2.19
1:09PM
1.39
11:02PM
2.17
2:12PM
1.38
11:47PM
2.11
3:19PM
1.41
12:39AM
2.02
4:15PM
1.49
1:42AM
1.89
4:58PM
1.60
3:01AM
1.74
5:35PM
1.73
Low Tide
/ height (m)
2:20AM
0.71
1:36PM
0.84
2:54AM
0.55
2:04PM
0.92
3:28AM
0.41
2:32PM
1.01
4:04AM
0.30
3:00PM
1.08
4:42AM
0.22
3:28PM
1.14
5:22AM
0.18
3:58PM
1.20
6:07AM
0.18
4:30PM
1.24
6:55AM
0.20
5:12PM
1.29
7:46AM
0.23
6:13PM
1.34
8:40AM
0.27
7:48PM
1.36
9:33AM
0.33
9:38PM
1.29
10:24AM
0.41
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thu
30
Sunrise-5:54--5:52--5:52--5:52--5:52--5:50--5:50--5:50--5:50--5:48--5:48--5:48-
Sunset--7:59--7:59--8:00--8:00--8:00--8:01--8:02--8:04--8:04--8:05--8:05--8:06
clearclearpart cloudclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearpart cloudclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclear
Rain (mm)
------------------------------------
Temp. °C121819141720141720171922141820131720151922141921131921142124152426142526
Feels °C (?)111616111415111518141820111516914161215171017189171711192111212192221

Short Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 9°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 6-9 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Long Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 9°C on Mon 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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