Surf Forecasts:
Indicator surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SW swell with 255 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 8s 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 17s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 20th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 20th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicator over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, look, I’ll be straight with you. The next couple of weeks aren't going to fire. We're looking at a reef and point setup that's fairly consistent, but the swell is just small and the conditions are messy more often than not. The water is a balmy 73°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than usual for this time of year, so that's a real treat if you're in the water.
For the first week, starting Sunday the 13th, it’s all small. We’ve got a bit of 1ft swell from the SW, but the wind is all over the place. Sunday afternoon turns into a poor cross-on mess. Monday the 14th sees a tiny 2ft swell from the W, but with a short period of 7 seconds and moderate offshore SE wind at 12 mph, it’s clean but gutless. The energy is weak, only registering 130. Honestly, it’s hard to get excited about anything here until much later.
There’s a big gap of pretty ordinary surf. Tuesday through Thursday is all small, choppy, and cross-on. The only real standout in the whole outlook is shaping up for Sunday the 20th. That morning we’ve got a glassy, clean surface with a 2ft SW swell and a long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is building to a moderate 302, and the forecast is for good conditions. That’s your pick. It’s a reef and point, so that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely. But the crowds are listed as “sometimes”, so be ready for a few others who sniffed it out.
After that, Monday the 21st morning has a bit more size at 3ft from the SW, with a 17-second period and offshore SE wind at 6 mph. It looks clean with a combined energy of 386. That’s another good window. The rest of the second week is mostly small again, with a few clean but tiny mornings around the 27th and 28th.
So, the call: don’t waste your time this week. Wait for the glass-off on Sunday the 20th morning, or Monday the 21st morning. That’s your best chance for a proper session on this reef and point.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 18°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SW 19 | SW 19 | W 8 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | W 9 | SW 16 | WSW 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 21 | SW 14 | W 4 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 63 | 58 | 207 | 51 | 108 | 106 | 90 | 39 | 39 | 10 | 37 | 32 | 71 | 32 | 5 | 184 | 184 | 131 | 199 | 252 | 199 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:06AM2.08m | 11:41PM1.67m | 11:34AM2.05m | 00:31AM1.48m | 12:04PM1.98m | 1:39AM1.31m | 12:38PM1.89m | 4:30AM1.23m | 1:26PM1.80m | 2:47PM1.73m | 8:19AM1.44m | 4:29PM1.73m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 5:38PM0.51m | 5:14AM0.81m | 6:26PM0.56m | 5:34AM0.98m | 7:22PM0.64m | 5:47AM1.12m | 8:36PM0.71m | 10:17PM0.72m | 11:43PM0.65m | 10:16AM1.43m | 00:37AM0.56m | ||||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
Feels °C | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SW 13 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 9 | W 6 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 6 |
| kJ | 37 | 45 | 207 | 51 | 32 | 20 | 18 | 39 | 11 | 200 | 59 | 86 | 144 | 44 | 121 | 184 | 184 | 42 | 35 | 252 | 50 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | W 8 | SW 13 | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 21 | SSW 15 | W 4 | W 5 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SW 18 |
| kJ | 63 | 13 | 44 | 31 | 108 | 106 | 90 | 64 | 39 | 10 | 37 | 32 | 71 | 74 | 5 | 13 | 61 | 131 | 199 | 33 | 199 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | S 9 | WSW 5 | W 5 | S 12 | SW 14 | SW 21 | SSW 14 | S 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 10 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 58 | 58 | 57 | 48 | 29 | 14 | 14 | 75 | 35 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 32 | 110 | 69 | 21 | 59 | 58 | 8 | 29 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | — | SE 2 | SSE 2 | SSE 2 | SE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 2 | — | — | W 5 | W 6 | — | W 6 | — |
| kJ | — | 19 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 14 | 71 | — | 32 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 166 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 166 | 19 | 166 | 41 | 14 | 0 | 41 | 4 | 148 | 41 | 18 |
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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