El Capitan surfForecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 10 pm Sunday 26 Apr 2026 PDT
Forecast 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
15.1° C
(Which is 1.4°C warmer than normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at El Capitan today?

The current surf forecast for El Capitan at 5AM is: 0.6m 14s primary swell from a West-northwest direction and 0.5m 5s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 10:00pm April 26). An open ocean swell of 0.2m 2s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be offshore.

Time (PDT) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (27 Apr)2.5ft (0.7m)14s
Afternoon (27 Apr)2ft (0.6m)13s
Evening (27 Apr)2ft (0.6m)13s

Table - waves today at El Capitan. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Sun
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
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
2 PM
5 PM
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
WNW
15
0.5
WNW
15
0.6
WNW
14
0.6
WNW
14
0.7
WNW
14
0.7
WNW
14
0.6
WNW
13
0.5
NW
13
0.6
WNW
13
0.6
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
12
0.5
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
SW
16
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.3
SW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
92
123
163
163
183
180
118
85
114
114
96
95
89
85
57
56
56
56
64
54
53
55
54
50
Wind (km/h)
15
WNW
10
NNW
10
NNW
10
N
10
NNW
15
W
20
WSW
25
WNW
20
NW
15
NNW
10
NNW
5
N
5
NNE
5
SSW
10
SW
15
W
15
NW
10
NNW
10
NNW
10
NNW
5
NNW
10
SW
15
WSW
20
WNW
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
off
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
7:50PM1.88m
7:40AM1.71m
8:16PM1.96m
8:33AM1.68m
8:41PM2.03m
9:21AM1.64m
Low Tide
1:55AM0.79m
1:49PM0.56m
2:38AM0.62m
2:20PM0.67m
3:17AM0.48m
2:49PM0.79m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:13
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:40
7:42
7:42
Temp °C
13
11
10
10
13
17
18
18
13
10
10
10
13
17
18
19
14
11
11
11
14
20
21
21
10
9
7
8
11
13
13
12
9
7
7
8
12
15
15
16
11
9
9
9
13
18
19
17
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
WNW
15
0.5
WNW
15
0.6
WNW
14
0.6
WNW
14
0.7
WNW
14
0.7
WNW
14
0.6
WNW
13
0.5
NW
13
0.6
WNW
13
0.6
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
12
0.5
WNW
5
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
11
Energy kJ
92
123
163
163
183
180
118
85
114
114
96
95
89
17
57
56
56
56
56
54
53
55
54
50
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.6
W
5
0.5
W
5
0.5
W
5
0.3
S
13
0.3
S
13
0.3
W
13
0.3
S
11
0.3
S
11
0.3
S
11
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.5
WNW
12
0.4
S
12
0.3
S
12
0.3
S
12
0.3
SW
16
0.4
SW
16
0.3
SW
16
0.3
SW
16
0.3
SW
16
0.3
SW
15
0.3
SW
15
Energy kJ
45
45
16
11
11
31
31
32
21
22
23
42
44
85
44
25
25
40
64
39
39
38
37
36
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
WNW
13
0.3
SW
15
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
13
0.3
S
13
0.2
S
11
0.3
S
11
0.3
S
11
0.3
SW
13
0.3
SW
13
0.3
SW
13
0.3
SW
13
0.3
SW
13
0.4
S
12
0.3
S
16
0.3
SW
16
0.3
SW
16
0.3
S
12
0.3
S
12
0.3
S
11
0.3
S
11
0.3
SSW
15
0.3
S
15
0.3
S
11
Energy kJ
58
34
45
51
30
9
21
21
28
28
28
28
28
44
46
41
41
25
25
23
21
42
38
21
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
W
5
0.6
W
5
0.7
WNW
5
0.2
NNW
2
0.5
W
5
0.4
W
5
0.6
W
3
0.7
WNW
4
0.9
WNW
4
0.9
WNW
4
0.9
NW
4
0.8
WNW
5
0.7
WNW
5
0.7
NW
5
0.5
W
5
0.8
WNW
4
1
WNW
5
0.9
WNW
5
0.8
WNW
4
1
WNW
4
1
WNW
5
0.9
WNW
6
0.8
WNW
6
1
WNW
5
Energy kJ
17
16
25
1
12
7
7
15
26
31
28
27
24
30
14
23
48
40
22
40
46
45
48
44
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
0
0
0
0
0
17
329
326
17
0
0
0
0
328
329
16
4
3
0
4
4
166
329
99
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
2
2
3
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
1
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
8
7
6
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
8
9
9
8
7
8
8
6
6
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

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