Indicator Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.78° N 118.43° W

Indicator Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 09 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indicator sea temperature is
22.3° C
3.6° 

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: Wednesday 12 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 13 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s period, SW swell with 196 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 18s 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 0.6m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 17s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Wed 12th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 18s
Best Surf 5AM (Wed 12th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 18s
Most Powerful 8PM (Thu 13th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. It’s looking flat and pretty sad out there for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a solid run of small, weak surf and mostly onshore wind messing things up. Don’t get too excited; there are only a couple of windows where you might actually want to paddle out, and even then, it’s not going to be epic.

The first real chance you've got is on Thursday morning, the 13th of August. There’s a little bump of 2ft of southwest swell, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, so it’ll have a bit of push, but the energy is weak, only hitting 125 on the combined scale. It’s breaking at the reef and point here, which is good for this kind of swell. The wind is a light cross-offshore, so it should be clean. It’s surfable, but honestly, it’s pretty ordinary.

After that, the ocean just goes to sleep again. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing from Friday the 14th right through to Tuesday the 18th. Small scraps of swell, but the winds chop it all up. You’ll see the size trying to build a little on Monday the 17th, with 3ft on the afternoon, and then 5ft by Tuesday afternoon, but it’s all short-period wind swell from the west, blown out by a moderate westerly. It’s a messy, choppy mess. Not worth your time.

Now, when we get to the start of the second week, things get slightly more interesting, but I wouldn’t plan any trips around it yet. On Wednesday morning, the 19th of August, we’ve got 3ft of west swell with a period of 7 seconds, and the wind is offshore from the SSE. That’s clean. The energy is moderate, hitting 109 on the scale. It’s a bit short-period, so it won’t have much grunt, but it’s at least rideable. The water is a very unusual 72°F and much warmer than normal for this time of year.

Beyond that, it's a slow fade again. There’s a hint of a better pulse for the 23rd and 24th, with the swell picking up to 1ft and the period stretching out to 18-19 seconds. That long period keeps coming from the southwest, and the energy is moderate again, but the winds turn onshore again. Thursday the 24th morning might give you one more clean, glassy window with that long-period groundswell, but it’s still only 1ft.

Honestly, if you’re desperate, the Thursday the 13th and Wednesday the 19th mornings are the only real options, and they’re not great. This is about as bleak a 16-day forecast as you can get. Let’s hope the models change, because right now it’s a whole lot of nothing.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Sun
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
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
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
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)
0.4
W
5
0.3
WSW
4
0.2
W
4
0.3
W
2
0.1
SW
14
0.3
SW
18
0.5
SW
18
0.5
SW
18
0.5
SW
17
0.5
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.3
SW
12
0.6
SW
15
0.2
W
5
0.5
W
3
0.5
W
4
0.5
SW
14
0.5
W
3
0.6
SW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
7
3
1
1
8
52
154
152
143
127
125
124
23
188
2
4
7
91
5
108
Wind (km/h)
20
WSW
5
S
10
SW
15
WSW
5
WSW
10
SW
20
WSW
5
WSW
10
SW
20
W
5
SSW
10
SSW
15
WSW
10
SSW
10
WSW
20
W
10
W
10
SW
20
WSW
15
W
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
7:09PM2.37m
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
Low Tide
2:38AM0.01m
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
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
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
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:45
7:45
7:44
7:43
7:42
7:40
7:39
 mm
Temp °C
22
21
21
22
21
21
22
21
21
21
20
20
20
19
19
20
19
19
20
20
Feels °C
21
21
22
21
21
23
21
20
22
21
20
21
20
19
20
19
18
19
19
20
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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