- Forecast
- Maps
- Live
- Weather State
- Spot Information
Indicators Surf Forecast
/ CAL – Santa Cruz (30 breaks) / California (404 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surfForecast / CAL – Santa Cruz / USA
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 4 am Wednesday 20 May 2026 PDTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Indicators surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Indicators sea temperature is
11.9° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)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 (May 20) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 1.4m 13s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (May 20) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 13s period and expected on Thursday (May 21) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 20th May) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 20th May) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Wed 20th May) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Monday 25 | Tuesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WNW 9 | |
711 | 508 | 483 | 489 | 328 | 275 | 245 | 204 | 200 | 223 | 223 | 223 | 164 | 252 | 186 | 362 | 459 | 445 | 348 | 463 | 475 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | |
High Tide | 3:50PM1.28m | 1:46AM1.64m | 4:48PM1.31m | 2:51AM1.46m | 5:40PM1.35m | 4:06AM1.27m | 6:26PM1.41m | 5:31AM1.11m | 7:06PM1.47m | 7:06AM1.01m | 7:42PM1.52m | 8:34AM1.00m | 8:13PM1.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:01AM-0.43m | 8:03PM0.96m | 9:00AM-0.30m | 9:34PM0.89m | 10:00AM-0.17m | 11:03PM0.75m | 10:59AM-0.02m | 00:19AM0.55m | 11:54AM0.13m | 1:22AM0.34m | 12:45PM0.28m | 2:15AM0.15m | 1:33PM0.43m | 3:01AM-0.01m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — |
 | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:16 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 15 |
18 | 17 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 13 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 8 | SSW 16 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WNW 9 |
 kJ | 711 | 508 | 483 | 489 | 328 | 275 | 245 | 204 | 200 | 192 | 67 | 223 | 81 | 252 | 186 | 362 | 459 | 445 | 348 | 463 | 475 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | SW 16 | S 13 | SSW 19 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WNW 7 | SSW 16 | WNW 9 | WNW 15 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | SSW 15 |
| kJ | 57 | 62 | 55 | 148 | 112 | 54 | 207 | 86 | 148 | 223 | 223 | 29 | 164 | 75 | 167 | 156 | 215 | 226 | 123 | 117 | 422 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | S 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | S 12 | S 12 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | S 11 | WNW 16 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 |
| kJ | 65 | 56 | 57 | 59 | 51 | 48 | 82 | 123 | 27 | 25 | 63 | 64 | 22 | 102 | 56 | 31 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 10 | 120 | 170 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 144 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 2 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 0 | 0 | 468 | 5 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Cruz | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Indicators surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Nearest