El Capitan surfForecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 10 am Friday 24 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
15.8° C
(Which is 2.2°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 5PM is: 0.5m 14s primary swell from a South direction and 0.5m 13s secondary swell from a West-northwest direction (forecast issued at 10:00am April 24). An open ocean swell of 1.3m 5s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.

Time (PDT) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (24 Apr)4.5ft (1.4m)7s
Afternoon (24 Apr)4ft (1.2m)6s
Evening (24 Apr)1.5ft (0.5m)13s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Mon
27
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
8 PM
11 PM
2 AM
5 AM
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
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><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
WNW
7
0.6
S
14
1.1
WNW
7
0.5
S
14
0.5
S
13
0.5
W
16
0.5
W
16
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.6
WNW
16
0.6
WNW
16
0.4
WNW
16
0.5
WNW
16
0.4
WNW
15
0.5
WNW
15
0.7
WNW
14
0.6
WNW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
218
153
107
103
92
129
129
90
89
89
110
109
109
109
109
109
191
198
86
142
92
123
183
163
Wind (km/h)
5
NNE
10
WSW
15
W
20
WNW
15
NW
15
NNW
15
NNW
10
NNW
10
NW
10
WSW
15
WSW
20
W
15
WNW
10
NW
10
NNW
10
NNW
10
NNW
15
WNW
25
W
25
W
20
WNW
15
NNW
10
NNW
10
N
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
6:47PM1.67m
5:28AM1.78m
7:21PM1.78m
6:40AM1.74m
7:50PM1.88m
Low Tide
11:38AM0.34m
11:57PM1.17m
12:30PM0.39m
1:04AM0.98m
1:13PM0.46m
1:55AM0.79m
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:16
6:15
6:13
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:37
7:38
7:39
7:40
1
Temp °C
15
19
21
20
13
11
10
10
13
17
16
16
14
12
11
11
13
17
18
17
13
11
10
9
13
16
18
15
9
8
7
7
11
14
12
12
11
10
9
9
11
13
12
11
9
8
8
7
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
WNW
7
0.6
S
14
0.5
S
14
0.5
S
14
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.6
WNW
16
0.6
WNW
16
0.4
WNW
14
0.5
WNW
16
0.4
WNW
15
0.5
WNW
15
0.7
WNW
14
0.6
WNW
14
Energy kJ
132
153
107
103
92
90
90
90
89
89
89
87
84
109
109
109
191
198
63
142
92
123
183
163
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
S
15
0.5
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
13
0.5
WNW
13
0.4
WNW
12
0.5
W
16
0.5
W
16
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.4
WNW
12
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
W
15
0.5
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
WNW
16
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
13
Energy kJ
155
96
93
90
57
129
129
56
56
56
110
109
109
74
46
46
46
46
86
45
45
45
45
51
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
WNW
13
0.3
WNW
16
0.3
WNW
16
0.3
WNW
16
0.3
WNW
16
0.4
NW
12
0.4
NW
12
0.4
WNW
16
0.4
WNW
16
0.4
WNW
15
0.4
NW
11
0.4
NW
11
0.4
NW
11
0.4
NW
11
0.3
NW
11
0.3
NW
11
0.3
SW
13
0.2
WSW
12
0.4
S
12
0.3
WNW
13
0.4
WNW
13
0.3
SW
15
0.3
SW
15
0.3
SW
15
Energy kJ
99
53
52
51
50
37
36
84
82
75
30
30
30
30
18
18
25
15
45
34
58
34
34
34
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
WNW
7
0.9
WNW
7
1.1
WNW
7
1.3
WNW
5
1.3
WNW
5
1.1
WNW
5
1
WNW
5
1
WNW
4
0.9
WNW
6
0.7
WNW
6
0.6
W
5
0.6
W
5
0.5
W
5
0.6
W
4
0.6
W
4
0.7
W
4
0.7
W
4
0.7
W
5
0.7
W
5
0.9
W
4
0.9
WNW
4
0.7
WNW
5
0.7
WNW
5
0.8
WNW
4
Energy kJ
218
84
102
95
83
66
48
37
43
31
20
18
11
12
13
19
20
22
22
31
32
22
23
23
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
0
17
17
51
17
0
0
0
0
17
329
893
0
0
0
0
0
0
893
329
37
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
1
2
1
2
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
5
7
7
4
6
6
5
4
9
9
8
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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