
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 9s period, NW swell with 885 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period with WNW 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 Friday (Jul 31) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 2.4m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 13s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Hey mates, Rusty here. Let’s size up the surf for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s shaping up to be a pretty flat and wind-affected period for the most part. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak swells and wind that’s mostly onshore or cross-onshore, which isn’t giving us much to work with. A lot of these days are just marginal or poor.
The only spot in the mix is Indicators, an advanced point break that’s fairly consistent. It’s sheltered, and the best swell direction to get it going properly is from the WNW. The water temp is 60°F, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year—about 2°F above the norm—so you can leave the steamer at home.
Here’s the play-by-play:
We start on Friday, 31 July with a tiny 3 ft swell out of the SSW. The morning wind is a glassy offshore from the WSW at 3 mph—that’s a big plus for clean conditions. The combined swell energy is moderate at 533, but the wave comment calls it a “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s clean, but tiny.
After that, the window slams shut. From Saturday morning (1 August) all the way to Friday afternoon (7 August), it’s a slog of poor to marginal surf. The swell bumps to about 6 ft on Saturday and Sunday, but it’s a weak, short-period windswell (only 8 to 10 seconds), and the wind is cross-on or onshore. That’s a recipe for messy, unappealing waves. The scores are all zero and one, with the comments bluntly saying “poor surf conditions” or “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.”
Saturday, 8 August morning is a slight step up. The WNW swell is 5 ft with a 9 second period, and the combined energy is a moderate 587. The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW at 3 mph – basically, a slight air. It’s still a marginal call, but it’s the most hopeful looking session in the first week.
This same marginal theme drags through the rest of the first week of August: small WNW swell and persistent cross-on wind.
Friday, 14 August morning is another one to circle. We’ve got 2 ft of swell from the SW, but with a 15 second period – that’s a true groundswell. The combined energy is moderate at 497. The wind is a light cross-on from the SW at 6 mph. A long period like that at a point break can produce some nice, lined-up waves, but the size is really small.
The best bet in the whole outlook lands on Saturday, 15 August. The swell ticks up to 3 ft from the SSW with a very long period of 17 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 707. The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW at 6 mph. That combination of long-period groundswell and light off-direction wind is the most promising signal in the entire sixteen days. But, it’s a two-week-away call, so treat it as promising but less certain.
So, what’s the takeaway? With only Indicators on the menu, we’ve got a flat first week with a few tiny, clean windows. The one standout to keep an eye on is Saturday, 15 August, when that long-period SSW groundswell might just make the paddle worth it. The rest? Keep the board in the car and your expectations in check.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
280 | 276 | 328 | 371 | 331 | 885 | 506 | 495 | 590 | 516 | 378 | 253 | 184 | 147 | 125 | 113 | 113 | 130 | 138 | 124 | 106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:17PM1.30m | 11:56PM1.50m | 1:39PM1.36m | 00:38AM1.39m | 2:04PM1.43m | 1:28AM1.25m | 2:33PM1.52m | 2:28AM1.11m | 3:08PM1.60m | 3:51AM0.99m | 3:50PM1.68m | 5:58AM0.94m | 4:42PM1.75m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:06PM0.76m | 6:32AM-0.04m | 6:49PM0.67m | 6:58AM0.09m | 7:38PM0.59m | 7:26AM0.26m | 8:37PM0.49m | 7:57AM0.45m | 9:45PM0.38m | 8:31AM0.66m | 11:01PM0.25m | 9:18AM0.85m | 00:16AM0.10m | ||||||||
6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 24 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 17 |
Feels °C | 19 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | S 13 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 |
280 | 276 | 183 | 232 | 87 | 508 | 506 | 495 | 590 | 516 | 378 | 253 | 184 | 147 | 125 | 113 | 113 | 130 | 138 | 124 | 106 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | SSE 12 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 14 | S 12 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
86 | 48 | 225 | 89 | 48 | 76 | 75 | 46 | 44 | 67 | 42 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 54 | 72 | 52 | 97 | 87 | 84 | 85 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | — | W 21 | SSW 14 | S 10 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SW 18 |
104 | — | 9 | 82 | 18 | 53 | 55 | 55 | 30 | 67 | 65 | 41 | 61 | 35 | 33 | 24 | 31 | 12 | 37 | 37 | 80 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
149 | 213 | 328 | 371 | 331 | 885 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 345 | 0 | 79 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 104 | 219 | 0 | 104 | 368 | 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.











