
Surf Forecasts:
Indicator surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 99 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Indicator this week:
The surf forecast for Indicator over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicator in the next 16 days are 0.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 13s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicator over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. I’ve looked over this stretch of coast and honestly, it’s a tough one.
We’re starting here on Thursday, July 30th, and the outlook is grim. The reef and point setup we’re looking at is a "fairly consistent" spot, but for the next 16 days, the surf is just not happening. The first few days are a flat-out write-off. Swells are tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 2 ft, with weak energy for the most part. The one bit of hope is that the wind often goes light and cross-offshore, which would keep the water glassy, but with no real swell to push through, it’s just a flat lake out there.
This dry spell stretches all the way into the second week of August. There’s a massive gap here with nothing worth paddling out for. The combined energy of the swells is laughably low for days on end, with values like 9 or 16, which is basically nothing. The water temperature is a standout, though. It’s running at 72°F, which is a massive 7°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual, almost like a warm bath, but with no waves, you’re better off swimming.
Things start to get a little more interesting around Tuesday, August 11th, but it’s a very long-range promise. The swell period starts to climb, with some long-period groundswell energy showing up. By the afternoon of the 11th, we see a bump in combined energy to 145 (moderate wave energy), and into the 12th, it hits 183. The swell direction is coming from the SW, which is a good match for the optimum swell direction of NW for this spot, but it’s a bit of a cross. The wind is a problem, though. It’s a persistent cross-onshore, which will make it choppy.
The real standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Thursday, August 13th. The afternoon before that, the combined energy jumps to 219 (strong wave energy), with a 2 ft swell from the SW and a period of 16 seconds. That’s a solid groundswell, but the wind is still a moderate cross-onshore at 12 mph, so it won’t be perfect. On the morning of the 14th, the wind lightens up to a cross-shore, and the energy is still moderate at 124, with a 2 ft swell. It’s the best of a bad bunch, but for the experts, that afternoon of the 13th might show a bit of life.
Honestly, for most of the window, with the tiny swell, poor quality, and persistent cross-onshore winds, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Keep your expectations low, and if you’re a beginner, don’t bother. The forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but right now, it’s a long wait for a very small window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Fri afternoon, min 20°C on Thu afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 20°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | W 5 | W 6 | SW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 | 8 | 16 | 33 | 25 | 27 | 17 | 18 | 27 | 49 | 49 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 60 | 56 | 73 | 70 | 70 | 69 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 10:17PM2.17m | 11:45AM1.67m | 10:51PM2.06m | 12:12PM1.72m | 11:27PM1.90m | 12:39PM1.78m | 00:09AM1.71m | 1:11PM1.84m | 1:01AM1.50m | 1:50PM1.90m | 2:20AM1.30m | 2:41PM1.96m | 4:37AM1.19m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:12PM1.01m | 5:19AM0.27m | 4:52PM0.99m | 5:43AM0.37m | 5:36PM0.97m | 6:07AM0.49m | 6:27PM0.94m | 6:31AM0.64m | 7:30PM0.91m | 6:57AM0.79m | 8:51PM0.85m | 7:27AM0.94m | 10:28PM0.73m | |||||||
— | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 |
Feels °C | 20 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
193 | 213 | 269 | 166 | 25 | 27 | 99 | 18 | 27 | 23 | 36 | 25 | 42 | 23 | 16 | 56 | 73 | 70 | 70 | 69 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 12 | W 6 | SW 15 | S 11 | SSW 12 | W 6 | SSW 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 12 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 11 | W 6 |
128 | 72 | 16 | 33 | 57 | 49 | 17 | 33 | 47 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 41 | 38 | 60 | 38 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 5 | — | — | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 10 | SW 14 | SSW 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | S 11 | SW 16 | SW 12 | S 10 | S 11 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SW 20 |
— | 8 | — | — | 52 | 51 | 32 | 46 | 30 | 49 | 49 | 42 | 9 | 41 | 37 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | W 4 |
9 | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | 18 | — | — | 11 | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 62 | 1 | 67 | 117 | 2 | 2 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 148 | 2 | 2 | 62 | 31 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Los Angeles County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Indicator Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Indicator provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Indicator can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Indicator 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 (Indicator) 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 Indicator 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.
Indicator is 5 km (3 miles) from the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. If you plan a vacation in Los Angeles County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Rancho Palos Verdes. Rancho Palos Verdes has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











