Indicators Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.95° N 122.03° W

Indicators Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 10 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indicators sea temperature is
15.7° C
1.1° 

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


Indicators surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with 627 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s 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 Monday (Aug 10) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 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 0.5m 13s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Mon 10th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 9s
Best Surf11PM (Tue 11th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 18s
Most Powerful11PM (Sat 15th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let me get a read on this. First off, straight up: there’s no 'good' surf to get excited about in this entire 16-day window for Indicators. The finder file is basically a long run of 'poor surf conditions' with a few 'marginal' spots that are still nothing to write home about. We’re looking at a stretch that starts now and runs all the way through to the end of August with next to no quality options. Let me break it down for you.

Indicators is a point break, advanced only, and it’s fairly consistent when the right swell hits, but the problem here is the swell and the wind just aren’t lining up for clean waves. The guidance file tells us this spot wants the swell from the WNW – that's the optimum direction – and it needs offshore winds from the ENE. Looking at the forecast, we do get some WNW swell, but the wind is always cross or cross-on from the SW or WSW. That’s the kiss of death for clean lines here. So what we’ve got is frustrated energy and chopped-up faces.

The water temperature on Monday the 10th is sitting at 60°, with an anomaly of 2°, so it’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – not a game-changer, but at least it’s not freezing.

Kicking off from Monday 10th August through to Thursday 13th August, we have small WNW swell, 3 ft to 4 ft, period around 9 seconds. The combined wave energy is moderate, ranging from 258 to 454. But every session is marked 'poor'. The wind is light but always cross-on or onshore, so expect small, bumpy, closeout mush.

Thursday 13th afternoon shows a shift: the swell drops to 2 ft but the period jumps to 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The direction swings to SSW. The combined energy is still moderate at 372. But the wind is onshore from 9 mph WSW. For a point break, that long-period SSW swell could wrap in, but with onshore wind it’ll be bumpy and gutless. Still 'poor'.

From Friday 14th August through to Monday 24th August, the swell stays small, mostly SSW, with periods from 14 to 19 seconds – plenty of long-period energy, but the heights are 2 ft to 4 ft. Wave energy is moderate to strong, peaking at 660 on Sunday 16th morning. That’s a notable bump in energy. Winds are mostly light, but they are either cross-on or onshore. The forecast calls these 'marginal' at best – basically, if you’re a longboarder with no standards and you just want to bob around, maybe you can find a crumbly waist-high wave. But for any real surfing? Nah.

Then from Tuesday 25th August onward, it peters out completely. Swells drop to 2 ft – 2 ft, energy dips below 300, wind stays messy. The last two weeks of August are a dead zone.

So, to sum it up: there are no standouts here. Not one session gets a score that says "go." If you’re desperate, the best of a bad lot might be Saturday 15th or Sunday 16th August, where you have a 3 ft to 4 ft SSW groundswell with 16-second period and very light southwest wind (3 mph) in the morning. That’s your only window for something semi-rideable, but it’s still 'marginal'. The crowds at Indicators are listed as 'often', so you’d likely be paddling out with others for mediocre waves.

Honestly? This run is just a flat, windy dud. With that long-period SSW swell and consistent onshore/cross wind, the setup might actually look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing – there’s energy, just no clean face for a board. For a surfer, it’s a chalk-off.

That’s the truth of it from where I’m sitting.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
Sunday
16
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
2
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
WNW
9
0.9
WNW
9
1
WNW
9
1
WNW
9
0.7
SSW
18
1.1
WNW
9
1.1
WNW
9
0.7
SSW
16
1.2
WNW
8
0.7
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
15
0.5
SSW
19
0.6
SSW
18
0.8
SSW
18
1
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
1
SSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
199
148
165
154
273
190
181
226
185
212
209
214
254
356
512
376
620
604
461
437
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
5
SW
10
SW
10
WSW
5
WSW
10
SSW
10
SW
5
SW
10
SW
15
WSW
5
NW
10
SSW
15
W
5
NNW
10
SW
15
WSW
5
NNE
5
SW
15
WSW
5
SSE
Wind State
on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross
cross-on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
High Tide
8:53PM1.95m
11:21AM1.38m
9:49PM1.93m
11:54AM1.42m
10:41PM1.85m
12:27PM1.46m
11:32PM1.72m
12:58PM1.49m
00:22AM1.55m
1:29PM1.52m
1:14AM1.37m
1:59PM1.54m
2:12AM1.19m
Low Tide
2:52PM0.91m
4:02AM-0.38m
3:47PM0.78m
4:45AM-0.38m
4:38PM0.65m
5:25AM-0.30m
5:30PM0.54m
6:03AM-0.17m
6:21PM0.45m
6:39AM0.01m
7:13PM0.39m
7:14AM0.23m
8:08PM0.37m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:22
6:22
6:22
6:24
6:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:05
8:04
8:02
8:01
8:00
7:59
7:58
 mm
Temp °C
20
16
18
20
15
17
18
15
16
18
16
17
19
16
17
19
16
18
21
16
Feels °C
19
16
17
19
15
16
17
15
15
17
15
16
18
15
16
18
15
17
19
16
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  • 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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