Surf Forecasts:
Ano Nuevo surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 366 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ano Nuevo in the next 16 days are 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ano Nuevo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, I’m gonna be straight with you: this stretch at Ano Nuevo is a tough one. The swell is there, but the wind is just not playing ball. It’s mostly cross-shore or cross-onshore, and that’s creating a whole lot of chop and messy conditions. For the first week or so, we’ve got a consistent groundswell from the SSW, around 3 ft, with a long period of 15 seconds. That long period means there’s energy, but at a beach and reef setup like this, it can make things a bit too straight and fat, and you’ll be waiting for the sets. The combined energy is moderate, hitting numbers like 449 (Sunday afternoon) and up to 554 later in the week, but with poor surf conditions flagged each day, it’s not giving us clean waves.
The water is sitting at 61°F, which is a touch warmer than what’s normal for this time of year – a nice little bonus if you’re in a spring suit. But the wind is the real villain here. We’ve got a steady northwest flow, 9 to 19 mph, and it’s just constantly cross or cross-on, ruining any chance of a smooth face. The swell does bump up a bit around the 20th, with a WNW swell at 4 ft, but with a short period of only 8 seconds and fresh cross-shore winds at 19 mph, it’ll be lumpy and for experts only. The setup honestly starts to look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during those stronger wind days.
There’s a glimmer on the 28th, with a SSW groundswell at 3 ft and a 17-second period. The combined energy is 404, and it’s flagged as "marginal" rather than "poor." The wind is still cross-shore, but a gentler 9 mph breeze might clean it up a little. That’s probably your best window, but even then, it’s not a standout. The crowds are listed as "sometimes" at Ano Nuevo, which means you might not be alone, but with conditions this average, it shouldn’t be too packed.
The real problem is the stretch of days from the 16th all the way through to the 31st. There are no true good surf options. The guidance doesn’t give any other spots to look at, so this is it. It’s a long run of poor conditions, with only a couple of days where it’s just "marginal." This area is known for being a bit inconsistent and sheltered, so a blank run like this isn’t totally out of the ordinary. Forecasts can change, but right now, don’t expect much.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | ||||||||||||||
PM | 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 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | WNW 11 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | SW 18 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
362 | 334 | 334 | 334 | 239 | 322 | 366 | 163 | 305 | 322 | 268 | 157 | 192 | 262 | 105 | 142 | 305 | 248 | 173 | 160 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:59AM1.22m | 2:18PM1.55m | 3:09AM1.06m | 2:55PM1.53m | 4:39AM0.97m | 3:38PM1.50m | 6:25AM0.98m | 4:31PM1.48m | 7:51AM1.05m | 5:31PM1.48m | 8:45AM1.12m | 6:31PM1.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:07PM0.35m | 7:55AM0.43m | 9:05PM0.33m | 8:37AM0.65m | 10:08PM0.31m | 9:29AM0.85m | 11:17PM0.28m | 10:41AM0.99m | 00:26AM0.23m | 12:02PM1.05m | 1:26AM0.16m | 1:10PM1.04m | 2:17AM0.09m | |||||||
— | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | WNW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 7 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 13 | WNW 8 |
362 | 334 | 334 | 334 | 108 | 322 | 366 | 107 | 110 | 322 | 149 | 128 | 107 | 111 | 90 | 64 | 183 | 119 | 65 | 160 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | W 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | W 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | SSW 16 |
8 | 10 | 25 | 26 | 239 | 38 | 19 | 163 | 305 | 78 | 256 | 156 | 183 | 128 | 105 | 99 | 99 | 68 | 73 | 98 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 18 | W 13 | S 10 | SSW 17 | WNW 13 | S 22 | WNW 11 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 12 |
4 | 17 | 25 | 9 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 95 | 59 | 9 | 74 | 36 | 15 | 183 | 81 | 79 | 30 | 33 | 20 | 29 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | — | — | WNW 7 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | — | — | WNW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | — |
75 | — | — | 50 | 85 | 50 | 153 | — | — | 145 | 268 | 157 | 192 | 262 | 84 | 142 | 305 | 248 | 173 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 116 | 17 | 79 | 374 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 6 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 17 | 31 | 31 | 17 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
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.











