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El Capitan Surf Forecast
/ CAL – Santa Barbara (36 breaks) / California (404 breaks) /
El Capitan surfForecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 4 pm Saturday 17 May 2025 PDT
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Capitan this week:
The surf forecast for El Capitan over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (May 17) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2ft and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0ft and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Capitan in the next 12 days are 8ft 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (May 19) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 6ft 6s period and expected on Saturday (May 17) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 17th May) | 2ft (0.6m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 18th May) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Mon 19th May) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Capitan over the next 12 days.
Sat 17 | Sunday 18 | Monday 19 | Tuesday 20 | Wednesday 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | Tuesday 27 | Wednesday 28 | Thu 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Rating (10 max) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wave Height (ft) & direction (?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period(s) (?) | 16 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 8 |
Wave (?)Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Energy (?) | 201 | 261 | 630 | 687 | 1255 | 437 | 711 | 859 | 875 | 411 | 527 | 473 | 491 | 743 | 322 | 227 | 891 | 322 | 497 | 659 | 536 | 659 | 644 | 588 | 499 | 454 | 318 | 239 | 272 | 208 | 206 | 326 | 288 | 148 | 191 | 163 |
Wind (mph) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | cross- off | cross- off | cross- on | cross | off | cross- on | off | off | cross- on | cross- on | glass | on | cross- on | glass | cross- on | cross- on | glass | on | cross- on | cross | cross- on | cross- off | glass | cross- on | cross | glass | cross- on | cross | off | cross- on | cross | cross- off | cross | cross- off | cross- off | cross- off |
High Tide / height (ft) | 4:48PM 4.53 | 12:47AM 6.14 | 5:23PM 4.76 | 1:49AM 5.81 | 5:42PM 5.05 | 3:11AM 5.48 | 6:02PM 5.45 | 4:41AM 5.25 | 6:26PM 5.97 | 6:05AM 5.12 | 6:55PM 6.53 | 7:20AM 5.09 | 7:27PM 7.12 | 8:28AM 5.12 | 8:03PM 7.61 | 9:32AM 5.12 | 8:43PM 7.97 | 10:34AM 5.12 | 9:26PM 8.14 | 11:34AM 5.05 | 10:11PM 8.07 | 12:35PM 4.99 | 10:59PM 7.81 | 1:39PM 4.92 | ||||||||||||
Low Tide / height (ft) | 5:43PM 4.53 | 9:08AM 1.41 | 7:50PM 4.66 | 9:59AM 1.48 | 10:00PM 4.43 | 10:46AM 1.57 | 11:31PM 3.84 | 11:30AM 1.77 | 12:36AM 3.02 | 12:13PM 2 | 1:31AM 2.1 | 12:55PM 2.33 | 2:22AM 1.18 | 1:37PM 2.69 | 3:11AM 0.39 | 2:20PM 3.02 | 4:01AM -0.13 | 3:04PM 3.31 | 4:52AM -0.39 | 3:51PM 3.58 | 5:44AM -0.36 | 4:40PM 3.81 | 6:38AM -0.13 | |||||||||||||
Sat 17 | Sunday 18 | Monday 19 | Tuesday 20 | Wednesday 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | Tuesday 27 | Wednesday 28 | Thu 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | - | - | 5:54 | - | - | 5:54 | - | - | 5:54 | - | - | 5:52 | - | - | 5:52 | - | - | 5:52 | - | - | 5:52 | - | - | 5:50 | - | - | 5:50 | - | - | 5:50 | - | - | 5:50 | - | - | 5:48 |
| Sunset | 7:55 | - | - | 7:57 | - | - | 7:58 | - | - | 7:59 | - | - | 7:59 | - | - | 8:00 | - | - | 8:00 | - | - | 8:00 | - | - | 8:01 | - | - | 8:02 | - | - | 8:04 | - | - | 8:04 | - | - |
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Rain (in) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Temp. °F | 66 | 57 | 68 | 72 | 61 | 75 | 84 | 70 | 77 | 81 | 70 | 79 | 81 | 75 | 82 | 84 | 77 | 79 | 79 | 73 | 81 | 84 | 70 | 77 | 81 | 72 | 75 | 81 | 66 | 79 | 82 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 63 | 77 |
| Feels °F (?) | 55 | 50 | 64 | 68 | 55 | 72 | 79 | 63 | 73 | 77 | 66 | 75 | 77 | 72 | 79 | 81 | 73 | 75 | 77 | 72 | 77 | 79 | 64 | 73 | 77 | 68 | 72 | 77 | 61 | 73 | 77 | 63 | 72 | 72 | 55 | 70 |
Short Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 84°F on Mon afternoon, min 52°F on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sat afternoon, calm by Mon morning). | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 84°F on Thu afternoon, min 66°F on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 6-9 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 84°F on Sat afternoon, min 61°F on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Long Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 82°F on Tue afternoon, min 54°F on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the WNW by Thu afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our El Capitan surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the El Capitan Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Capitan provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at El Capitan can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Capitan surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (El Capitan) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for El Capitan may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
El Capitan is 16 km (10 miles) from Isla Vista. If you plan a vacation in Santa Barbara, look for hotels and other accommodation in Isla Vista. Isla Vista has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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