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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 18 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 12AM is: 1.2m 11s primary swell from a West-northwest direction and 0.4m 15s secondary swell from a South direction (forecast issued at 04:00pm May 18). An open ocean swell of 0.7m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be offshore.
| Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (19 May) | 3.5ft (1.1m) | 11s |
| Afternoon (19 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 10s |
| Evening (19 May) | 2.5ft (0.7m) | 15s |
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 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon 18 | Tuesday 19 | Wednesday 20 | Thu 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | NW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | |
583 | 553 | 460 | 313 | 260 | 256 | 256 | 214 | 206 | 194 | 186 | 268 | 264 | 257 | 440 | 362 | 772 | 414 | 290 | 281 | 212 | 184 | 269 | 265 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | on | |
High Tide | 12:45PM1.50m | 11:13PM2.39m | 1:53PM1.49m | 00:07AM2.27m | 3:04PM1.51m | 1:09AM2.10m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 4:49PM1.15m | 6:53AM-0.04m | 5:47PM1.22m | 7:52AM0.06m | 7:00PM1.27m | 8:53AM0.17m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:52 | — | — |
 | — | 7:57 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | — | — | — | 7:59 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 22 | 24 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 22 |
18 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 20 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 12 | S 15 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 15 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | SW 15 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | NW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 |
 kJ | 583 | 42 | 460 | 313 | 260 | 256 | 256 | 214 | 206 | 194 | 142 | 268 | 264 | 257 | 440 | 362 | 421 | 112 | 290 | 281 | 212 | 180 | 269 | 265 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 15 | S 15 | SSW 15 | S 15 | NW 16 | WNW 16 | WNW 16 | WNW 15 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | NW 10 | S 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 30 | 28 | 69 | 69 | 73 | 69 | 67 | 171 | 171 | 156 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 98 | 55 | 88 | 85 | 52 | 110 | 78 | 184 | 184 | 184 | 77 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | NW 18 | NW 18 | S 15 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 21 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 21 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | SW 15 | S 12 |
| kJ | 45 | 48 | 28 | 28 | 80 | 79 | 39 | 69 | 66 | 61 | 67 | 66 | 65 | 162 | 89 | 55 | 54 | 18 | 50 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 77 | 47 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 11 | NW 4 | NW 4 | NNW 4 | — | SE 10 | ESE 3 | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | — | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | W 4 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 553 | 12 | 15 | 7 | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | 186 | 164 | 168 | 15 | 7 | — | 772 | 414 | 26 | 26 | 18 | 13 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 51 | 250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 38 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 326 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 29 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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