Indicator Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.78° N 118.43° W

Indicator Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 10 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indicator sea temperature is
21.9° C
3.2° 

Indicator surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Indicator surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SW swell with 358 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 16s period. 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 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 16s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 16) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Thu 13th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 16s
Best Surf 8AM (Thu 13th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 16s
Most Powerful 8AM (Sun 16th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicator over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s lay it out in feet and miles per hour. The next two weeks are looking pretty flat and frustrating. We’ve got a big gap at the start, with nothing worth paddling out for until at least Thursday the 13th. The first recommendation doesn’t show up until the 13th of August, so you’ve got a few days of flat to burn.

The spot we’re talking about is a reef and point break, fairly exposed to the swell. It’s a fairly consistent place, but the timing is just off. The water is running much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 71°F – that’s a big anomaly of 6°F, which is very unusual. The swell is coming from the best direction for this spot, the NW, but it’s just not showing up with any power.

Let’s break it down. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are a total write-off. We’re talking 0.7ft to 1.0ft of swell with cross or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is pathetic – just 2 to 85 (weak). It’s a no-go.

Wednesday the 12th is a little bigger at 2ft, but the wind is still a problem. The energy starts to build to 171 (moderate) by the afternoon, but it’s still choppy and messy.

Finally, on Thursday the 13th of August, we get a small window. The morning brings a light cross-offshore wind from the SSW, and the swell is 2ft from the SW with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which is good for the reef and point, but it’s only 2ft. The energy is 130 (moderate). It’s clean, but it’s very small. This is the best on offer for the first week.

Friday the 14th through Sunday the 16th sees a similar story: small swell, 1ft to 3ft, with cross-offshore mornings that clean things up, but the afternoons get blown out. The energy fluctuates from 62 to 324 (weak to moderate). The 16th afternoon has a pulse of 3ft and 324 energy, but it’s cross-onshore and choppy, so it’s not the one.

The standout of the whole period, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 18th of August. The morning brings a clean, offshore wind from the SE, and the swell hits 4ft from the W. The period is short at 6 seconds, but the energy is 145 (moderate). It’s the biggest, cleanest swell of the run. The water is still warm, and the wind is offshore. That’s your best bet for a surfable wave, but it’s still only a 1/10 in the ratings. It’s not pumping, but it’s the only real option.

From there, it’s more of the same right through to the 25th of August. Small pulses of 1ft to 4ft, with the occasional clean morning but mostly cross-onshore afternoons. The energy is almost always weak to moderate. There’s a moment on the 20th of August morning with a 1.0ft, 19-second period swell and offshore wind, but it’s tiny. The 22nd of August morning has a 4ft swell with a cross-offshore wind, which is worth a look, but it’s not a standout.

Honestly, it’s a tough outlook. The reef and point setup is waiting for a proper NW swell, and it’s just not here. The 18th of August morning is the only real highlight – a clean, offshore, small window. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
Sunday
16
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
W
4
0.2
W
7
0.1
SW
14
0.3
SW
18
0.5
SW
18
0.5
SW
18
0.5
SW
17
0.5
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.6
SW
15
0.5
SW
15
0.5
SW
14
0.6
W
4
0.5
SW
14
0.4
SW
13
0.8
W
5
0.9
SW
16
0.9
SW
15
0.9
WNW
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1
4
8
52
154
152
143
127
161
124
121
188
104
103
12
91
61
34
349
309
52
Wind (km/h)
10
WSW
15
WSW
10
WSW
10
WSW
20
WSW
5
SW
10
WSW
20
W
5
SW
10
SSW
15
WSW
10
SW
10
WSW
20
W
5
WSW
10
SW
20
W
5
SW
10
WSW
20
W
10
WSW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
9:15AM1.59m
8:03PM2.46m
9:49AM1.69m
8:52PM2.49m
10:23AM1.78m
9:39PM2.43m
10:56AM1.85m
10:24PM2.29m
11:29AM1.91m
11:09PM2.08m
12:03PM1.95m
11:55PM1.84m
12:36PM1.95m
00:45AM1.59m
Low Tide
1:46PM1.06m
3:19AM-0.06m
2:40PM0.94m
3:58AM-0.05m
3:30PM0.84m
4:34AM0.03m
4:20PM0.77m
5:07AM0.17m
5:09PM0.73m
5:39AM0.36m
6:01PM0.73m
6:08AM0.57m
6:58PM0.76m
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:11
6:11
6:13
6:13
6:13
6:15
6:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:45
7:44
7:43
7:42
7:40
7:39
7:38
 mm
Temp °C
21
21
21
21
22
21
20
21
20
19
20
19
19
20
20
20
21
21
21
22
22
Feels °C
22
21
21
22
21
20
22
21
19
20
20
18
21
19
19
21
20
21
21
22
20
  • 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
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Indicator:

join our community of surf reporters

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 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.

Nearest locationNearest