El Capitan surfForecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 10 pm Tuesday 05 May 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
14.7° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at El Capitan today?

The current surf forecast for El Capitan at 5AM is: 0.6m 16s primary swell from a Southwest direction and 0.7m 12s secondary swell from a West-northwest direction (forecast issued at 10:00pm May 05). An open ocean swell of 0.7m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be offshore and the swell rating is 2.

Time (PDT) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (06 May)2ft (0.6m)16s
Afternoon (06 May)2ft (0.6m)14s
Evening (06 May)2ft (0.6m)14s

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 26°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Tue
5
Wednesday
6
Thursday
7
Friday
8
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
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
2
1
0
1
0
2
2
2
2
1
0
2
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)
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.7
WNW
13
0.7
WNW
13
0.7
WNW
12
0.7
WNW
12
0.5
SW
14
1.9
WNW
6
1.9
WNW
6
1.5
WNW
7
0.8
WNW
12
0.9
WNW
9
1.4
WNW
8
1.8
WNW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
144
150
193
196
196
193
142
133
133
134
134
99
154
147
131
129
89
260
277
222
157
118
226
363
Wind (km/h)
20
NW
15
NNW
10
N
5
N
0
NNE
10
SSW
10
SW
15
W
15
NW
15
NNW
10
NNW
5
N
5
NW
10
SW
10
WSW
10
WNW
15
NNW
15
NNW
10
NNW
5
N
0
WNW
10
WSW
10
WSW
15
WNW
cross-off
off
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
11:58PM1.91m
4:55PM1.36m
00:38AM1.82m
1:31AM1.72m
Low Tide
8:08AM0.47m
5:18PM1.36m
9:06AM0.51m
10:03AM0.54m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:05
6:03
6:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:47
7:49
7:49
Temp °C
14
11
12
12
15
20
21
22
16
13
14
15
18
24
26
26
17
15
15
15
18
24
26
25
10
8
10
10
14
18
19
20
14
11
12
14
17
23
25
25
14
13
14
15
18
23
25
23
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
WNW
12
0.7
WNW
12
0.7
WNW
12
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.7
WNW
13
0.7
WNW
13
0.7
WNW
12
0.7
WNW
12
0.5
SW
14
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.8
WNW
12
0.8
WNW
12
0.9
WNW
9
0.5
WNW
11
0.4
SW
18
Energy kJ
136
129
127
196
196
193
142
133
133
134
134
99
154
147
131
129
89
45
44
156
153
108
69
78
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SW
16
0.7
WNW
12
0.6
WNW
12
0.6
WNW
12
0.5
WNW
12
0.5
WNW
12
0.3
SW
19
0.3
WNW
15
0.4
NW
14
0.4
WNW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.2
SSW
18
0.3
SW
18
0.2
SSW
19
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
17
0.4
SW
13
Energy kJ
144
150
193
125
94
93
79
77
59
42
52
73
99
99
97
95
32
53
36
44
44
44
77
43
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
SSE
12
0.2
SSE
11
0.2
SSE
11
0.2
SSE
11
0.2
SSE
11
0.5
WNW
5
0.2
SSE
11
0.2
SSE
11
0.2
WNW
16
0.3
SW
19
0.2
WSW
19
0.4
NW
11
0.1
SW
20
0.1
SW
19
0.1
SE
11
0.1
SW
18
0.1
SE
10
0.1
SE
10
0.1
SW
18
0.2
SSW
19
0.1
SW
18
0.2
SSW
16
0.4
SW
13
0.2
WNW
17
Energy kJ
14
13
12
12
12
14
12
12
25
59
37
32
15
15
4
13
4
4
12
37
12
26
43
30
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
WNW
5
1.1
NW
5
0.9
NW
4
0.7
NW
4
0.5
WNW
5
0.5
W
5
0.7
WNW
4
1.2
WNW
5
1.3
WNW
5
1.4
WNW
5
1.1
WNW
6
0.9
WNW
6
0.9
WNW
6
1.1
WNW
6
1.4
WNW
6
1.8
WNW
6
1.9
WNW
6
1.9
WNW
6
1.5
WNW
7
1.2
WNW
7
1.1
WNW
7
1.4
WNW
8
1.8
WNW
7
Energy kJ
44
49
29
20
13
13
19
69
83
106
77
53
66
82
124
226
260
277
222
157
118
226
363
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
Distance (km)
17
0
0
0
0
38
326
9
0
0
0
0
0
165
17
0
9
0
0
0
0
166
329
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
2
1
1
2
4
4
4
3
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
6
5
9
9
5
6
7
5
4
5
7
5
5
6
6
6
5
6
5
5
6
7
6
6
  • 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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