Surf Forecasts:
El Capitan surf forecast from 9 Jun 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 9 Jun, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 20s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 9 Jun, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 19s period, SSW swell with 1,314 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 9 Jun, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 20s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Capitan this week:
The surf forecast for El Capitan over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jun 09) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 20s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 1.7m and 8s 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 16 days are 1.3m 19s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jun 09) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jun 09) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 9th Jun) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 20s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 9th Jun) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 20s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 9th Jun) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Capitan over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 17°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mon 8 | Tuesday 9 | Wednesday 10 | Thursday 11 | Friday 12 | Saturday 13 | Sunday 14 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 21 | S 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 24 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 763 | 799 | 1314 | 1038 | 1081 | 1086 | 778 | 758 | 628 | 456 | 443 | 366 | 336 | 246 | 243 | 276 | 346 | 324 | 309 | 271 | 276 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | off | cross-on | cross | glassy | on |
High Tide | 5:24PM1.74m | 4:54AM1.38m | 5:52PM1.89m | 6:24AM1.35m | 6:26PM2.05m | 7:43AM1.37m | 7:05PM2.21m | 8:51AM1.42m | 7:48PM2.35m | 9:52AM1.46m | 8:34PM2.46m | 10:48AM1.50m | 9:23PM2.52m | 11:42AM1.52m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:48PM1.02m | 10:54AM0.76m | 00:47AM0.77m | 11:38AM0.86m | 1:38AM0.50m | 12:25PM0.94m | 2:27AM0.25m | 1:15PM1.01m | 3:16AM0.04m | 2:05PM1.06m | 4:06AM-0.10m | 2:57PM1.09m | 4:56AM-0.16m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 |
 | 8:10 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:13 | — | 8:14 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 17 | 25 | 27 | 20 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 26 | 21 | 26 | 30 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 26 | 23 |
Feels °C | 21 | 14 | 24 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 26 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 22 | 26 | 27 | 23 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 21 | S 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 763 | 799 | 1314 | 1038 | 352 | 375 | 399 | 404 | 345 | 292 | 443 | 366 | 336 | 232 | 232 | 232 | 346 | 324 | 309 | 222 | 276 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SW 23 |
| kJ | 136 | 129 | 139 | 67 | 1081 | 1086 | 778 | 758 | 628 | 456 | 194 | 114 | 114 | 114 | 107 | 276 | 173 | 81 | 72 | 115 | 140 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | SSE 13 | WNW 16 | SSE 12 | SW 13 | SSW 17 | NW 16 | WNW 16 | SSW 16 | SSE 15 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SE 14 | S 13 | SW 26 | SSW 26 | SW 24 | SW 20 |
| kJ | 61 | 32 | 25 | 14 | 27 | 344 | 10 | 25 | 162 | 21 | 39 | 74 | 124 | 246 | 243 | 7 | 3 | 26 | 66 | 271 | 60 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 11 | WNW 4 | WNW 10 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | W 4 |
| kJ | 270 | 394 | 110 | 190 | 547 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 198 | 24 | 85 | 38 | 24 | 7 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 38 | 3 | 14 | 59 | 3 | 207 | 17 | 0 | 38 | 51 | 0 | 17 | 207 | 0 | 37 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 16 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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