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El Capitan Surf Forecast
/ CAL – Santa Barbara (36 breaks) / California (404 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
El Capitan surfForecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 4 pm Monday 04 May 2026 PDTForecast update in hr min s Forecast 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
14.6° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)How big are the waves at El Capitan today?
The current surf forecast for El Capitan at 8PM is: 1.0m 14s primary swell from a West-northwest direction and 0.4m 14s secondary swell from a South-southwest direction, 0.3m 2s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 04:00pm May 04). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 2.
| Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (04 May) | - | - |
| Afternoon (04 May) | 2.5ft (0.8m) | 14s |
| Evening (04 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 14s |
Table - waves today at El Capitan. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon 4 | Tuesday 5 | Wednesday 6 | Thu 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
2 PM | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | 2 AM | 5 AM | 8 AM | 11 AM | 2 PM | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | 2 AM | 5 AM | 8 AM | 11 AM | 2 PM | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | 2 AM | 5 AM | 8 AM | 11 AM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | |
268 | 362 | 431 | 352 | 294 | 362 | 219 | 215 | 484 | 212 | 144 | 150 | 193 | 196 | 196 | 193 | 142 | 133 | 133 | 134 | 134 | 99 | 154 | 147 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | |
High Tide | 1:26PM1.38m | 11:22PM1.98m | 2:43PM1.35m | 11:58PM1.91m | 4:55PM1.36m | 00:38AM1.82m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 4:57PM1.24m | 7:14AM0.40m | 5:17PM1.30m | 8:08AM0.47m | 5:18PM1.36m | 9:06AM0.51m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6:03 | — | — |
 | — | 7:45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | — | — | — | 7:49 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 23 |
14 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 22 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | SSW 15 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 |
 kJ | 268 | 362 | 431 | 352 | 294 | 362 | 219 | 215 | 142 | 212 | 136 | 129 | 193 | 196 | 196 | 193 | 142 | 133 | 133 | 134 | 134 | 99 | 154 | 147 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 5 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 14 | WNW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 31 | 66 | 71 | 69 | 173 | 143 | 73 | 138 | 28 | 142 | 144 | 150 | 127 | 125 | 23 | 93 | 79 | 77 | 50 | 48 | 52 | 73 | 99 | 99 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 21 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | WNW 12 | W 5 | WNW 5 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | WNW 15 | NW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 20 | SSE 11 |
| kJ | 71 | 70 | 66 | 66 | 34 | 68 | 148 | 77 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 94 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 42 | 31 | 49 | 15 | 11 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 2 | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 13 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 5 | — | — | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 484 | 39 | 44 | 49 | 41 | 27 | — | — | 24 | 21 | 41 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 40 | 39 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 329 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 329 | 329 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 165 | 165 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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