Indicators Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.95° N 122.03° W

Indicators Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 31 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indicators sea temperature is
15.3°C
0.4° 

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


Indicators surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SSW swell with 722 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 13s 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 15s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Tue 1st Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 13s
Best Surf11PM (Thu 3rd Sep)3ft (0.9m) 18s
Most Powerful 8PM (Fri 4th Sep)4ft (1.2m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, Rusty here, and I've gotta be straight with you – the 16-day window is looking pretty grim. We're not talkin' "a few bad days" here; this is a long, drawn-out stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The best I can say is, if you're desperate, you'll find a couple of tiny windows of opportunity, but don't expect anything worth writing home about.

The Indicators (Indicators) spot is a sheltered point, demanding advanced skill, and it's fairly consistent but often crowded. It's a tricky one at the best of times. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is right about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook starts on Monday, 31st August, with a small 3ft SSW swell (14-second period) and a moderate combined energy of 425. The wind is a light cross-on, so nothing to get excited about. This pattern just drags on through the rest of the week. Swell stays tiny, mostly under 3ft, with periods around 13-19 seconds, but the problems are always the same: onshore or cross-onshore winds and poor quality. The occasional "marginal" tag pops up, but the scores tell the truth – it's not on.

We finally get a little glimmer of hope on the morning of Monday, 7th September. The swell is only 2ft from the SSW, with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a weak 230. But the magic word is "glassy" – the wind is offshore, light, and clean. The waves are surfable, but honestly, they're very ordinary. It's a tiny window for a longboard or a foamie, but you'll be scratching for waves.

Then on the morning of Tuesday, 8th September, we get another glassy morning, but it's even smaller – 2ft at 14 seconds (198 combined energy). It's a repeat of the same story: surfable but very ordinary.

After that, it's back to the doldrums. The wind picks up, the swell stays small, and the quality is poor. There's a brief shift in swell direction to the WNW on the 12th, but the period drops to 9 seconds, which is just short-period wind swell, and the energy spikes up to 494. Still, the wind is cross-on and the conditions are marginal at best.

The final fling comes on the morning of Tuesday, 15th September – a glassy morning with 2ft of SSW swell and a 15-second period (203 combined energy). Surfable, but ordinary. That's the best we've got in the whole run.

Honestly, fellas, this is a tough stretch. The consistent spots are rare, and for a sheltered point like this, a blank run is more normal than you'd hope. The forecasts can always change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I'd be looking for a different hobby for the next couple of weeks.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
1
Swell
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
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
13
0.4
SSW
18
0.5
SW
17
0.6
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
17
0.7
SSW
19
0.8
SSW
19
0.9
SSW
18
1
SSW
18
1
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
325
226
156
154
154
123
137
131
246
325
411
497
582
518
597
469
539
428
334
301
242
Wind (km/h)
5
SW
15
W
5
NNW
10
SSW
15
WSW
5
ESE
5
S
10
WSW
5
NNE
5
SW
15
W
5
NNE
5
W
20
WNW
0
N
5
SW
15
W
5
N
5
WSW
10
WSW
0
ESE
Wind State
cross-on
on
cross
cross-on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
High Tide
1:06PM1.58m
1:38AM1.21m
1:39PM1.66m
2:48AM1.11m
2:19PM1.70m
4:27AM1.04m
3:09PM1.73m
6:57AM1.08m
4:13PM1.73m
8:23AM1.19m
5:26PM1.74m
9:03AM1.28m
6:42PM1.76m
Low Tide
7:14PM0.25m
6:48AM0.54m
8:09PM0.20m
7:19AM0.73m
9:15PM0.16m
7:56AM0.91m
10:34PM0.12m
9:05AM1.05m
11:55PM0.04m
11:23AM1.11m
1:07AM-0.05m
12:56PM1.02m
2:06AM-0.14m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:37
6:39
6:39
6:41
6:41
6:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:37
7:37
7:35
7:34
7:31
7:30
7:29
 mm
Temp °C
16
19
16
16
18
16
18
19
17
18
20
18
18
21
17
17
22
17
19
22
17
Feels °C
15
17
14
15
16
14
17
18
15
17
19
18
17
17
13
16
20
15
18
20
17
  • 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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