
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, NW swell with 612 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Indicators this week:
The surf forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 1.9m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 13s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s in the water for this stretch. Gotta be honest, this is a slow start. We’re lookin’ at a few days of flatness before anything even gets a pulse. The first real chance of a wave doesn’t show up ‘til Sunday the 9th, so you’ve got a few days of beach walks and board waxin’ ahead of you.
The only spot on the menu here is Indicators, a point break that’s built for the advanced crew. It’s fairly consistent, but it’s sheltered from a lot of swell and needs a very specific angle from the WNW to really fire. That’s a tough ask.
From the 5th through the 8th, it’s a total dud. Swell is tiny, under 2 feet, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, just messing up any chance of a clean wave. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking 100 (127 to 162). You’d be lucky to find a knee-high wobble. Not worth the paddle.
Then Sunday morning the 9th, we get a bit of a jolt. A swell from the NW rolls in at about 6 feet, but the period is short at 9 seconds, so it’s gonna be a bumpy, disorganized mess. The energy jumps up to 1249, which is a lot of power, but with the wind blowing straight onshore, it’s gonna be choppy and lumpy. It’s a “maybe” session at best.
The next week, from the 10th to the 16th, the swell hangs around but drops to 3-4 feet from the WNW. The wind stays light, but it’s that cross-onshore angle that keeps the surface a little bumpy. The energy is moderate, around 400-500. It’s surfable, but it’s the kind of day where you’re just scratching for a few average ones.
The real standout, and the only time I’d get my gear damp, is Monday the 17th. The swell drops a bit, to about 3-3 feet from the SSW, but the wind goes completely dead. Monday morning, we’ve got a light breeze from the NW, almost glass, and then Monday afternoon the wind just stops. Zero. That’s a glassy ocean. The energy is moderate at 300-351, and the period is a solid 14 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. That’s gonna give you clean, lined-up waves at Indicators, if the angle (SSW) cooperates with the spot’s preferred WNW. It’s a gamble, but when it’s glassy like that, you take the chance. That’s the pick of the whole 16 days.
After that, the 18th and 19th look poor again with onshore winds, and by the 20th we get a pulse of 5-foot swell from the WNW, but the period is short again (9 seconds) and the wind is strong and cross-onshore. That’s gonna be a choppy, blown-out mess. Better for kiteboarding than surfing.
So, here’s the plan: sit tight through the first week, maybe give Sunday the 9th a look if you’re desperate, but the real window is Monday the 17th. That glassy morning with 3-foot groundswell is the closest we get to a proper session. For the rest, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | NW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
72 | 95 | 84 | 84 | 80 | 139 | 210 | 159 | 318 | 232 | 291 | 612 | 319 | 312 | 312 | 248 | 203 | 264 | 269 | 273 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 3:50PM1.68m | 5:58AM0.94m | 4:42PM1.75m | 8:27AM1.04m | 5:42PM1.81m | 9:30AM1.17m | 6:48PM1.87m | 10:10AM1.27m | 7:53PM1.92m | 10:46AM1.34m | 8:53PM1.95m | 11:21AM1.38m | 9:49PM1.93m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:01PM0.25m | 9:18AM0.85m | 00:16AM0.10m | 10:49AM1.00m | 1:23AM-0.06m | 12:33PM1.05m | 2:23AM-0.21m | 1:50PM1.01m | 3:15AM-0.32m | 2:52PM0.91m | 4:02AM-0.38m | 3:47PM0.78m | 4:45AM-0.38m | |||||||
— | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | NW 8 | SSW 17 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 |
31 | 54 | 41 | 84 | 27 | 84 | 210 | 159 | 64 | 232 | 100 | 342 | 169 | 312 | 312 | 248 | 203 | 264 | 269 | 207 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 |
72 | 95 | 84 | 39 | 45 | 139 | 82 | 83 | 318 | 56 | 291 | 259 | 12 | 167 | 160 | 143 | 101 | 56 | 116 | 273 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | S 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SW 18 | WNW 8 | W 15 | WNW 8 | SW 12 | W 13 | WNW 10 | SW 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | S 12 |
24 | 12 | 37 | 37 | 80 | 14 | 17 | 23 | 36 | 14 | 59 | 36 | 11 | 24 | 24 | 98 | 96 | 93 | 124 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 8 | — | — | WNW 8 | — | NW 9 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | 76 | — | 612 | 319 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 37 | 0 | 104 | 0 | 0 | 480 | 345 | 0 | 569 | 345 | 0 | 0 | 313 | 0 | 104 | 150 | 0 | 37 | 313 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Cruz | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Indicators Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Indicators provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Indicators can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Indicators 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 (Indicators) 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 Indicators 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.
Indicators is 3 km (2 miles) from Santa Cruz. If you plan a vacation in Santa Cruz, look for hotels and other accommodation in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











