
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period, NW swell with 459 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s period with SSW 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 1.8m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 14s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 9th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, listen up. It’s Rusty. I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch, and I’ve got to be straight with you: it’s a flat, frustrating run for a good while. The first proper surfable day doesn’t even show up until Tuesday the 8th, so if you’re itching to paddle out this weekend or Monday, you’re better off finding another hobby. That’s a solid four-day blank at the start.
The first sign of life arrives Tuesday morning at Indicators. It’s not much – a clean but tiny 1.6ft of SSW swell, and the wind is glassy. That’s the best part of the whole week right there. But don’t get excited; the wave energy is weak, coming in at 170. It’s a wave you might catch if you’re desperate for a slide. After that, it’s back to the dirge. The swell stays small and messy, and the wind is consistently onshore or cross-onshore, blowing out whatever crumbly lines there are. We get a slight bump on Thursday the 10th with the energy climbing to 594, but it’s still only 2.6ft of SSW and the conditions are called “marginal” – which is surfer code for ‘probably not worth the paddle.’ The whole first week is a write-off.
The pattern doesn’t improve much in the second week. Saturday the 12th sees a bit of a pulse, with 4.9ft of WNW swell pushing the energy up to 567, but it’s mixed with a cross-onshore 15.5 mph wind and an 8-second period. That’s just bumpy, weak junk. It’s not a surfer’s wave; honestly, that’s more of a kite-surfing setup than anything else. The swell sticks around at around the 3.3ft mark for a few days, but it’s heavily onshore. The wind just doesn’t let up. There is a sniff of something better on Wednesday the 16th morning – the swell drops to a more favorable 4.6ft from the NW, but it’s still a short, choppy period. Still no good.
Here’s the kicker: the spot is Indicators, a sheltered point that loves a WNW swell. But this whole window is delivering short-period slop from the wrong direction, and it never gets clean. The water temp is 60.8°, which is about average for the time of year, nothing special.
The only thing that shows any promise is the very end of the forecast. The energy builds through the 20th and into the 21st, with the combined energy hitting 696 and then 802. The swell is still only around 3ft, but it’s coming from the SSW/SW with a longer 17-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, even if it’s not big. But it’s still a cross-onshore wind on the Monday afternoon, which will chop it up a bit. It’s a faint glimmer, a promise of something better, but it’s 10 days out and still uncertain. Right now, there is nothing worth getting out of bed for. Keep your board in the car, but be ready to wait. This is one of those times when patience is the only thing that'll pay off. Keep an eye on it.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 31°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | NW 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
301 | 305 | 178 | 66 | 46 | 118 | 80 | 69 | 148 | 309 | 267 | 368 | 437 | 430 | 425 | 331 | 309 | 268 | 322 | 459 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:42PM1.76m | 9:36AM1.35m | 7:51PM1.77m | 10:09AM1.41m | 8:53PM1.76m | 10:40AM1.46m | 9:49PM1.71m | 11:09AM1.50m | 10:42PM1.62m | 11:37AM1.54m | 11:33PM1.51m | 12:04PM1.56m | 00:23AM1.38m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:06AM-0.14m | 2:02PM0.87m | 2:56AM-0.20m | 2:57PM0.69m | 3:39AM-0.20m | 3:46PM0.51m | 4:18AM-0.13m | 4:32PM0.36m | 4:54AM-0.02m | 5:17PM0.24m | 5:28AM0.15m | 6:01PM0.17m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | |
7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 17 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 29 | 31 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 19 | 19 | 24 | 18 |
Feels °C | 19 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 27 | 29 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | WNW 6 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 13 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 8 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | WNW 8 |
301 | 54 | 426 | 503 | 451 | 221 | 335 | 202 | 98 | 94 | 179 | 368 | 163 | 430 | 425 | 331 | 140 | 268 | 211 | 261 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | SSW 15 | WNW 7 | SW 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 10 | SSW 17 | SSW 8 | WNW 10 | SSW 7 | SW 15 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SSW 14 |
179 | 305 | 64 | 13 | 46 | 52 | 51 | 22 | 148 | 309 | 267 | 98 | 437 | 61 | 95 | 9 | 309 | 17 | 34 | 131 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | S 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | WNW 5 | SSW 11 | NW 12 | WNW 11 | SSW 7 | S 11 | SSW 6 | S 10 | S 10 | WSW 12 |
57 | 229 | 178 | 37 | 34 | 118 | 80 | 69 | 55 | 61 | 13 | 115 | 142 | 78 | 31 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 4 | — | NW 5 | — | — | — | WNW 10 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 |
145 | — | — | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | 13 | — | — | — | 120 | — | 217 | 322 | 459 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 0 | 4 | 175 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 86 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.










