Indicators Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.95° N 122.03° W

Indicators Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 09 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indicators sea temperature is
16.3° C
2.8° 

Indicators surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Indicators surf forecast from 10 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 15 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, NW swell with 1,208 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 1.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 2.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 20s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Thu 9th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 16s
Best Surf11PM (Wed 15th Jul)8ft (2.5m) 9s
Most Powerful11PM (Wed 15th Jul)8ft (2.5m) 9s

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


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for this spot. It’s a bit of a slow burn, to be honest. The first week or so is pretty marginal, with a lot of "iffy" conditions and only a couple of windows where things line up. The real standout looks to be in the second week, so patience is the name of the game.

We’re looking at a point break that’s sheltered and needs a WNW swell to get going. It’s an advanced wave, so this isn’t a beginner’s playground. The water temp is sitting at 61°F, which is a good 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a big anomaly, so you can leave the thickest rubber at home.

The first real chance to wet a line kicks off Thursday afternoon, the 9th of July. We’ve got a 3ft, 16-second SSW groundswell with a light W breeze. The energy is weak (combined energy of 718), and the tide or something else is making it look questionable. It’s surfable, but don’t expect fireworks.

Friday morning, the 10th, picks up a bit. A 6ft, 9-second WNW swell rolls in with a light W wind. The combined energy jumps to 1121, so there’s some moderate power there. The morning looks the better call, as the afternoon swings to a cross-on wind, making it a poor session. Saturday the 11th is tricky – a 5ft NW swell in the morning and a tiny 3ft SSW swell in the afternoon, both with light winds, but the scores are low. Sunday through Tuesday (12th to 14th) is a mixed bag of 4ft to 6ft WNW swells, mostly with light offshore winds, but the conditions are called "marginal" or "poor" until Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday afternoon, the 14th, we get a glassy, 5ft WNW swell. That’s a clean window, but it’s only 5ft and the period is short at 8 seconds, so it’s not going to be world-class.

Then we hit the real highlight. Wednesday afternoon, the 15th of July. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the WNW, with a 9-second period, and the wind goes glassy again. The combined energy is 656, and the forecast is for "good surf conditions." This is the best on offer in the first week. Thursday, the 16th, sees a 7ft WNW swell but with a light WSW wind, and the energy rockets to 1261. That’s strong, but the conditions are still called "marginal." For experts, that afternoon could be a beast, but the wind is a bit iffy.

After that, it drops off hard. From Friday the 17th through to Wednesday the 23rd, we’re looking at tiny, long-period SW groundswells, mostly 2ft to 3ft, with periods of 15 to 18 seconds. The energy is weak (411 to 551). These long-period swells are great for shape, but at this size, it’s barely a ripple. The winds are light, but the cross-on setups on the afternoons kill the quality. There’s a solid gap of several days here with no real recommendations.

The final glimmer shows up Thursday the 23rd afternoon with a 5ft WNW swell, and then Friday morning the 24th of July we get a proper pulse: a 6ft, 9-second NW swell with a light WSW wind and a combined energy of 1154. That’s a standout in the second week. It’s a solid, powerful wave for the advanced crew, but it’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not set in stone. The 5ft to 6ft range is doable for strong intermediates, but anything over 8ft is for experts only, and we don’t quite hit that.

Bottom line: Wednesday the 15th afternoon is your best bet early on for clean, glassy head-high waves. The Friday morning of the 24th is the big highlight in the second week, but check back closer to the time. Crowds are often a thing here, so expect company if it’s good.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thu
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
1
3
2
0
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
0
2
3
1
2
3
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSW
16
2.1
NW
9
1.7
WNW
9
1.7
WNW
9
1.6
NW
8
1.6
NW
8
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
1.3
WNW
9
1.3
WNW
9
1.3
WNW
9
1.3
WNW
9
1.7
NW
9
1.3
WNW
8
1.7
NW
8
1.5
WNW
8
2.1
NW
9
1.6
WNW
9
1.8
WNW
9
2.5
NW
10
1.7
WNW
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
402
657
459
465
329
314
249
246
244
244
244
249
449
255
400
287
711
395
523
1203
506
Wind (km/h)
10
W
5
NW
10
W
10
WNW
5
N
10
WSW
5
WSW
0
NNE
5
SW
10
SW
0
NW
10
SW
5
WSW
5
WNW
10
W
5
W
5
WNW
10
W
5
W
0
N
10
WSW
Wind State
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
on
on
cross-on
on
glassy
glassy
on
glassy
glassy
on
High Tide
6:13PM1.77m
9:19AM1.04m
7:05PM1.87m
10:22AM1.17m
8:01PM1.95m
11:09AM1.26m
8:57PM2.01m
11:51AM1.33m
9:52PM2.02m
12:31PM1.37m
10:45PM1.98m
1:10PM1.40m
11:37PM1.87m
1:48PM1.42m
Low Tide
1:40AM-0.05m
12:31PM0.91m
2:34AM-0.25m
1:43PM0.98m
3:26AM-0.41m
2:47PM0.98m
4:16AM-0.50m
3:46PM0.93m
5:03AM-0.54m
4:42PM0.86m
5:48AM-0.51m
5:38PM0.79m
6:32AM-0.41m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:56
5:56
5:58
5:58
5:58
6:00
6:00
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:30
8:29
8:29
8:28
8:28
8:28
8:27
8:27
 mm
Temp °C
21
17
18
24
18
20
22
17
20
22
17
21
21
19
24
25
19
23
23
17
19
Feels °C
20
17
17
22
17
19
21
17
19
21
17
20
21
19
22
24
19
22
22
17
18
  • 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 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.

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