Surf Forecasts:
Indicator surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 24s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 20s period, SW swell with 552 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 7s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicator in the next 16 days are 0.9m 20s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 17s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 24s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 20s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicator over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you—this is a tough one. We’re looking at a bleak stretch ahead for our local reef and point set-up here. The water is a toasty 72°F, which is a whopping 4° warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s pretty unusual. But don’t let that fool you, because the surf is nearly non-existent.
Right now, we’re staring down a long dry spell. From Wednesday, July 22nd all the way through to the end of July, it’s basically a ghost town. There’s nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly junk, and the wave energy is pitiful, with numbers barely cracking 100 (62). You’ll see a few mornings with cleanish conditions and a gentle offshore breeze, like Friday, July 24th morning, or Sunday, July 26th morning, but the swell is just a measly 2ft from the west, with a short period of 6 seconds. It’s not surf.
The first real flicker of life doesn’t show up until Monday, August 3rd. That morning we get a small bump: 3ft west swell, 7-second period, and light cross-offshore wind. The wave energy ticks up to 111 (moderate). It’s still very ordinary, but it’s the first sniff of something rideable.
Then, Wednesday, August 5th morning is probably the best we’ll see. It’s glassy, with a 2ft southwest swell, but importantly, that swell is packing a 14-second period—that’s a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate at 124. This is a long-period swell, which can be a bit tricky on a beachy setup, but for a reef and point, it could line up nicely. That’s your standout, but it’s still a very small wave.
Honestly, if you’re desperate for a paddle, target Monday, August 3rd morning or Wednesday, August 5th morning. Otherwise, leave the boards in the shed. The rest of the run is a write-off. This is one of those patches where the forecast can change, but right now, it’s pretty grim.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 20°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | ||||||||||||||
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 6 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 26 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 21 | W 6 | SW 21 | SW 19 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 18 | W 6 | SW 19 | W 6 | SW 11 | W 7 | SW 10 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 62 | 236 | 88 | 105 | 116 | 41 | 30 | 368 | 26 | 355 | 546 | 42 | 32 | 455 | 19 | 502 | 6 | 20 | 14 | 16 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 4:56PM1.91m | 7:48AM1.30m | 5:49PM1.95m | 8:41AM1.38m | 6:37PM2.01m | 9:13AM1.43m | 7:20PM2.08m | 9:40AM1.48m | 8:00PM2.16m | 10:04AM1.51m | 8:36PM2.22m | 10:29AM1.54m | 9:11PM2.25m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:52AM0.62m | 10:52AM1.23m | 1:41AM0.50m | 12:05PM1.26m | 2:20AM0.39m | 1:01PM1.24m | 2:54AM0.31m | 1:45PM1.20m | 3:26AM0.24m | 2:23PM1.14m | 3:56AM0.20m | 2:59PM1.09m | 4:25AM0.19m | |||||||
 |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 13 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 |
| kJ | 183 | 236 | 88 | 102 | 116 | 41 | 30 | 368 | 467 | 355 | 546 | 480 | 413 | 455 | 553 | 502 | 498 | 528 | 608 | 417 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 12 | SSW 13 | S 13 | S 12 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 |
| kJ | 22 | 180 | 125 | 73 | 184 | 161 | 108 | 28 | 26 | 18 | 29 | 42 | 32 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | S 14 | S 12 | SW 26 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SSW 24 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 10 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 |
| kJ | 39 | 132 | 77 | 105 | 66 | 368 | 217 | 63 | 28 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 23 | 23 | 35 | 23 | 9 | 20 | 30 | 16 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 62 | — | — | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 62 | 0 | 62 | 67 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 148 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 62 | 2 | 1 | 72 | 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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