
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, NW swell with 612 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period with SW 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 Wednesday (Aug 05) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 1.9m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore 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 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. The next two weeks are pretty lean to start with, and it’s going to be a grind overall. There’s a few moments that might just get you wet, but you’ll have to be picky.
Our first real chance for anything rideable shows up around Sunday the 9th through Tuesday the 11th. Sunday morning brings a short-period 5-foot swell from the WNW, with a period around 9 seconds and moderate wave energy (673). The wind is light but onshore from WSW, so it’s going to be bumpy. That afternoon the swell jumps to 6 feet from the NW, energy climbs into the strong range (1087), but it’s still short period at 9 seconds and the wind is onshore. That’s expert-only size and the onshore wind will make it messy – honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Monday the 10th is the closest we get to a standout: a 4-foot WNW swell early, still short period around 10 seconds, with light cross-onshore winds from the SSW. The combined energy is moderate (509). It’s not clean – little wind ripples – but for this stretch, it's the best on offer. The spot to check is Indicators – a sheltered point break that likes WNW swell direction, so this lines up okay. It’s fairly consistent, but it’s an advanced wave and can get crowded. Short period means the waves won’t have much punch.
From Tuesday the 11th onward, we slide back into small, poor surf. The swell sticks around 3–4 feet from the WNW then SSW, but the wind stays cross-on or onshore. The energy figures bounce from 314 to 556 – all in the low-to-moderate range.
There’s a real dry stretch from the 12th through the 15th where there’s nothing worth getting in the water for. The swell drops to 2–2 feet from the SSW, cross-on wind, total poor quality.
Then there’s one last, more promising window around Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th. Sunday morning the 16th looks like the pick of the whole forecast: a 3-foot SSW swell, 16-second period, combined energy at 517 (moderate). The wind goes glassy early – that is a major positive. The long period will wrap well around the point at Indicators, giving you clean, well-shaped waves with decent power. It’s advanced only, and crowds are likely, but the conditions will be as good as they get across this fortnight.
Monday the 17th morning is also glassy with a 3-foot SSW swell, 14-second period, combined energy around 373 – surfable but nothing special for size. Still, it’s clean and you’ll get some turns.
Tuesday the 18th through the 20th sees the swell fade to 2–4 feet, and the winds turn onshore or cross-off with a moderate breeze on the 20th up to 12 mph from the west, which will ruin any remaining shape.
Water temperature at the start is 58°F, with an anomaly of +0.2°F – so about average for this time of year.
If you can get out on Sunday morning the 16th, that’s your real standout. Clean, glassy, long-period groundswell piling into a sheltered point. The earlier Monday the 10th is a distant second, with more wind.
Stay patient – forecasts can shift.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | NW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
72 | 95 | 84 | 84 | 80 | 139 | 210 | 159 | 318 | 232 | 291 | 612 | 319 | 312 | 312 | 248 | 203 | 264 | 269 | 273 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 3:50PM1.68m | 5:58AM0.94m | 4:42PM1.75m | 8:27AM1.04m | 5:42PM1.81m | 9:30AM1.17m | 6:48PM1.87m | 10:10AM1.27m | 7:53PM1.92m | 10:46AM1.34m | 8:53PM1.95m | 11:21AM1.38m | 9:49PM1.93m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:01PM0.25m | 9:18AM0.85m | 00:16AM0.10m | 10:49AM1.00m | 1:23AM-0.06m | 12:33PM1.05m | 2:23AM-0.21m | 1:50PM1.01m | 3:15AM-0.32m | 2:52PM0.91m | 4:02AM-0.38m | 3:47PM0.78m | 4:45AM-0.38m | |||||||
— | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | NW 8 | SSW 17 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 |
31 | 54 | 41 | 84 | 27 | 84 | 210 | 159 | 64 | 232 | 100 | 342 | 169 | 312 | 312 | 248 | 203 | 264 | 269 | 207 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 |
72 | 95 | 84 | 39 | 45 | 139 | 82 | 83 | 318 | 56 | 291 | 259 | 12 | 167 | 160 | 143 | 101 | 56 | 116 | 273 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | S 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SW 18 | WNW 8 | W 15 | WNW 8 | SW 12 | W 13 | WNW 10 | SW 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | S 12 |
24 | 12 | 37 | 37 | 80 | 14 | 17 | 23 | 36 | 14 | 59 | 36 | 11 | 24 | 24 | 98 | 96 | 93 | 124 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 8 | — | — | WNW 8 | — | NW 9 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | 76 | — | 612 | 319 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 104 | 37 | 0 | 104 | 0 | 0 | 313 | 338 | 0 | 104 | 345 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 150 | 0 | 79 | 144 |
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.











