
Surf Forecasts:
Ano Nuevo surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 21s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SSW swell with 952 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ano Nuevo this week:
The surf forecast for Ano Nuevo over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ano Nuevo in the next 16 days are 1.0m 21s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ano Nuevo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the stretch ahead at Ano Nuevo. It’s a sheltered beach and reef setup that needs everything to line up, and honestly, this 16-day window is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of frustrating conditions before a late, punchy change-up.
Right now, the outlook is grim. We’ve got a solid run of poor surf kicking off today, Tuesday the 21st, and dragging all the way through to the end of the month. The swell is hanging around 2 ft to 4 ft, mostly from the SSW, with periods of 14 to 15 seconds. That’s okay groundswell, but the problem is the wind. It’s a constant cross-shore or cross-onshore breeze, mostly from the NW, which is just ruining the surface. The energy is moderate (around 555 to 567), but the conditions are too messy to make it worth paddling out. The water temp is about average for the time of year.
This ugly pattern holds through the 23rd, 24th, and 25th. The swell gets a bit longer period (up to 24 seconds) on the 24th, and the energy jumps up to moderate-to-strong (807 to 901), but the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the NW. It’s a lumpy, cross-shore mess. That’s more of a kite-surfing scene than a paddle session.
We hit a real low point from the 26th to the 28th of July. The swell drops to 3 ft, then the wind stays strong and cross-shore. The energy is hefty (over 1000), but it’s all blown out.
Then, on Tuesday the 28th of July, there’s a brief flicker. The morning brings a 8 ft swell from the NW, but it’s a short period at 9 seconds. The wind is a gentle cross-shore breeze, and the energy is very strong (2179). That’s a big, powerful, short-period wall of water. It’s going to be heavy and challenging, and with a 8 ft swell, this is only for experts. The cross-shore wind will keep it from being completely clean, but it’s the only real size in the whole forecast.
After that, it’s back to the grind. The rest of the month and into the first week of August serves up mostly poor conditions. The swell sticks to 2 ft to 6 ft, with a mix of SSW and then WNW directions. The wind is almost always a cross-shore breeze from the NW or WNW, which is just not what we need for clean waves. The energy drops from moderate to weak (down to 191 by the 5th of August).
The best chance to get wet is that Tuesday morning, July 28th. It’s the only standout in the whole outlook. The swell is big, but it’s short-period and wind-affected. Still, for a crew that’s been staring at junk for over a week, that 8 ft of power is the only real offer. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off.
Stay patient, or go find a river mouth.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the NW by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SSW 24 | SSW 22 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
314 | 465 | 316 | 302 | 339 | 303 | 321 | 229 | 217 | 263 | 487 | 487 | 412 | 718 | 578 | 596 | 590 | 572 | 497 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:47AM0.94m | 4:43PM1.55m | 6:30AM0.91m | 5:28PM1.56m | 8:02AM0.98m | 6:16PM1.57m | 9:08AM1.07m | 7:03PM1.59m | 9:57AM1.14m | 7:50PM1.62m | 10:35AM1.18m | 8:33PM1.65m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:59PM0.38m | 10:12AM0.60m | 00:07AM0.28m | 11:11AM0.80m | 1:09AM0.18m | 12:18PM0.93m | 2:03AM0.08m | 1:22PM1.00m | 2:49AM-0.00m | 2:17PM1.02m | 3:30AM-0.06m | 3:04PM1.00m | 4:07AM-0.11m | ||||||
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
8:25 | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 18 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 7 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 24 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | WNW 8 |
314 | 465 | 316 | 302 | 213 | 149 | 86 | 229 | 217 | 156 | 487 | 276 | 268 | 718 | 578 | 596 | 590 | 572 | 248 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | NW 8 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WSW 6 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 24 | SSW 22 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 18 |
127 | 33 | 224 | 252 | 339 | 303 | 321 | 34 | 126 | 128 | 170 | 487 | 412 | 255 | 209 | 192 | 195 | 147 | 497 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 13 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 12 | SSE 15 | S 13 | SSW 26 | SSW 26 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | S 16 | WNW 9 | S 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | S 11 |
46 | 57 | 27 | 18 | 10 | 29 | 71 | 130 | 66 | 263 | 116 | 68 | 48 | 8 | 20 | 192 | 195 | 39 | 62 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSW 3 | — | — | — | W 6 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | NW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 5 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 8 |
— | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 46 | 40 | 28 | 34 | 70 | 67 | 40 | 51 | 76 | 96 | 164 | 437 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 122 | 51 | 5 | 5 | 122 | 0 | 34 | 31 | 0 | 35 | 31 | 0 | 79 | 31 | 19 | 31 | 31 | 29 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Mateo | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ano Nuevo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ano Nuevo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ano Nuevo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ano Nuevo 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 (Ano Nuevo) 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 Ano Nuevo 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.
Ano Nuevo is 29 km (18 miles) from Santa Cruz. If you plan a vacation in San Mateo, look for hotels and other accommodation in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










