Surf Forecasts:
Carmel Beach surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with 556 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 14 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Carmel Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Carmel Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 14) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Carmel Beach in the next 16 days are 1.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 8AM. 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 (Fri 14th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 14th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Carmel Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you, it’s a rough stretch ahead for Carmel Beach. We’ve got a solid 16-day window here, but honestly, we’re looking at a big gap of poor conditions right from the start. The first few days are a write-off, so don’t bother paddling out until the weekend of the 14th, and even then, it’s only going to be marginal.
For the first week, from Wednesday the 12th right through to the end of Sunday the 16th, the wind is a constant problem. It’s coming from the SW and NW, mostly cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. Swell heights are all over the place, but the quality is just not there. The water temp is sitting at about 60°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The best chance you’ve got in this whole 16-day run is the early morning of Friday the 14th. We’re seeing a tiny 2ft swell from the SSW, but it’s coming in with a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s groundswell territory, and it’s got some decent energy behind it (472). The wind is light from the NW, so it’ll be small wind ripples, not the usual chop. It’s a maybe, not a goer, but it’s the closest thing to a hope we’ve got. The long period will make it a bit tricky on a beach setup like this, but for a skilled surfer, those long gaps between sets might make the paddle out a bit easier. No crowds to worry about here, it’s a “sometimes” spot, so you’ll likely have it to yourself.
After that, we slide back into poor conditions for the rest of the 16 days. The wind stays cross-onshore, and the swell becomes a mix of short period junk and weak pulses. The combined energy gets higher later in the month (like the 614 on the 19th), but it’s all wind-chop, not rideable waves.
In short, forget paddling for the next week. The whole stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than a proper paddle. The only tiny window is the morning of Friday the 14th, and even that’s a gamble. Hang tight, forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a quiet time.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WNW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 287 | 235 | 230 | 261 | 254 | 207 | 212 | 251 | 276 | 505 | 407 | 525 | 469 | 353 | 334 | 334 | 268 | 236 | 280 | 232 | 193 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:38AM1.30m | 10:38PM1.89m | 12:13PM1.37m | 11:28PM1.76m | 12:48PM1.44m | 00:18AM1.59m | 1:23PM1.49m | 1:11AM1.40m | 1:58PM1.52m | 2:10AM1.21m | 2:35PM1.52m | 3:24AM1.05m | 3:16PM1.51m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:32PM0.62m | 5:41AM-0.25m | 5:27PM0.54m | 6:18AM-0.12m | 6:22PM0.48m | 6:53AM0.06m | 7:18PM0.44m | 7:26AM0.26m | 8:18PM0.42m | 7:59AM0.46m | 9:25PM0.40m | 8:31AM0.66m | 10:38PM0.37m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — |
 | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WNW 8 |
| kJ | 287 | 235 | 230 | 261 | 254 | 207 | 120 | 98 | 77 | 505 | 407 | 525 | 469 | 353 | 334 | 334 | 268 | 236 | 280 | 232 | 193 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | NW 7 | SW 13 | WNW 5 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 145 | 175 | 206 | 164 | 193 | 191 | 140 | 140 | 276 | 50 | 44 | 34 | 20 | 19 | 31 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 39 | 99 | 166 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SW 14 | S 11 | S 11 | S 12 | S 10 | S 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 18 | WNW 13 | WNW 14 | WNW 15 |
| kJ | 28 | 99 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 76 | 212 | 251 | 214 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 29 | 9 | 31 | 17 | 18 | 42 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | NW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 6 | — | NW 6 | NW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | 40 | 22 | 26 | 43 | — | 42 | 44 | 78 | 198 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 187 | 7 | 7 | 45 | 20 | 148 | 45 | 20 | 148 | 45 | 20 | 148 | 45 | 7 | 45 | 329 | 20 | 42 | 45 | 20 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Monterey | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Carmel Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Carmel Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Carmel Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Carmel Beach 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 (Carmel Beach) 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 Carmel Beach 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.
Carmel Beach is 3 km (2 miles) from Monterey. If you plan a vacation in Monterey, look for hotels and other accommodation in Monterey. Monterey has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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