Surf Forecasts:
Indicator surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period, SW swell with 155 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period with W 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 18) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicator in the next 16 days are 0.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) 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 0.7m 14s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicator over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's break it down.
Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, frustrating run of poor surf conditions that starts right now and hangs around for a solid ten days. From Monday the 17th of August all the way through to Wednesday the 26th, it’s pretty much a write-off. The swell is tiny, wind is messy, and the waves just aren't coming together. There’s a bit of weak energy in the water, but it’s mostly under 100 (combined energy) until the 23rd, and even then, it’s still just not doing anything for us.
The first real glimmer of hope doesn't show up until Thursday the 27th of August. That morning, we might finally see something surfable. The wind is set to swing offshore from the SSE, blowing at a gentle 9 mph, which should clean things up nicely. The swell is still small, only 1 ft, coming from the SW with a period of 14 seconds. That long period means there’s a little bit of groundswell energy in there, and the combined energy hits 136, which is moderate. It’s not going to be a classic, but after so many flat days, some clean, rideable waves are a welcome sight. The break is a reef and point setup, fairly exposed to the swell, but it’s also fairly consistent, so there should be a few waves to go around. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.
After that short-lived tease, we’re back into a bit of a lull through the end of August and into the 1st of September. The swell stays tiny and the wind is messy again. It’s a frustrating pattern, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat morning, min 21°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | SW 19 | W 5 | W 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 26 | 31 | 30 | 92 | 50 | 68 | 48 | 25 | 15 | 13 | 56 | 14 | 11 | 50 | 49 | 47 | 50 | 50 | 58 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 00:45AM1.59m | 1:12PM1.93m | 1:49AM1.36m | 1:53PM1.88m | 3:42AM1.21m | 2:45PM1.83m | 3:57PM1.81m | 8:34AM1.36m | 5:14PM1.84m | 8:37AM1.43m | 6:15PM1.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:35AM0.78m | 8:04PM0.79m | 6:57AM0.97m | 9:30PM0.80m | 7:13AM1.13m | 11:10PM0.74m | 00:27AM0.64m | 10:14AM1.35m | 1:18AM0.53m | 12:01PM1.32m | 1:56AM0.42m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 18 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | W 6 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 214 | 31 | 186 | 61 | 50 | 25 | 48 | 209 | 217 | 125 | 118 | 120 | 115 | 69 | 68 | 68 | 42 | 30 | 120 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | W 6 | W 8 | W 5 | W 6 | SW 19 | W 5 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 5 | W 6 | SSW 15 | W 6 |
| kJ | 2 | 186 | 32 | 180 | 146 | 70 | 142 | 25 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 49 | 5 | 11 | 42 | 17 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | S 10 | W 10 | S 10 | SW 13 | SSW 17 | SW 19 | SW 20 | W 14 | SW 18 | SW 19 | W 12 | W 12 | SW 18 | S 16 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 19 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 109 | 15 | 16 | 4 | 13 | 56 | 3 | 11 | 50 | 21 | 47 | 50 | 50 | 58 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | — | W 6 | W 6 | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 10 | — |
| kJ | 26 | — | 30 | 92 | — | 68 | — | — | 15 | — | — | 8 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 30 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 14 | 117 | 117 | 0 | 2 | 117 | 2 | 2 | 117 | 2 | 2 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 62 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Los Angeles County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Indicator 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 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.
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