
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SSW swell with 952 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 26s 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 26s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 1.0m 21s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 13s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 26s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, I’ve been staring at the charts for your neck of the woods, and honestly, it’s a bit of a slow burn. We’ve got a long stretch ahead. The first real chance of anything decent doesn’t show up until Friday morning, the 24th, so expect a few quiet days before that.
Alright, let’s get into it. The standout window is shaping up to be Friday morning, the 24th of July. The swell is coming in from the SSW at 2ft, but the period is a juicy 24 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is glassy, WSW at 3 mph, which is about as good as it gets. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 60°F, and the combined energy is moderate (666). This is the best on offer, hands down. The break is *Indicators*, a point break that’s good for advanced surfers. It’s fairly consistent, but because it’s sheltered from the SSW swell, it should be handling that long-period energy well. Expect clean, lined-up waves. Crowds are often an issue here, so get there early.
That Friday morning window is the real highlight. The rest of the period is a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday the 25th morning has some potential with offshore wind, but the forecast is marginal. The next few days see the swell bumping up a bit – we get a 4ft SSW swell on Monday the 27th, with clean offshore winds in the morning, but the energy is moderate (900). It’s just not quite lighting up the forecast.
Come Thursday the 30th, the swell direction swings to the WNW, but the period drops right off to 9 seconds. That’s a short-period, choppy windswell, and the combined energy is moderate (1255) but it’s not the same quality. The wind is offshore though, so it’s not all bad, but it’s a step down in quality.
The final week, from the 1st of August onwards, is a real struggle. The swell is inconsistent, the period is short, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore. There’s a 7ft NW swell on the morning of Sunday the 2nd, but with a 9-second period and cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a mess. Honestly, for a point break, that’s looking more like a kite-surfing day than a clean paddle session.
So, to sum it up: lock in Friday morning, the 24th of July, at *Indicators*. That’s your one. After that, keep an eye on the morning windows, but don’t get your hopes too high. The forecast can change, and it’s been fairly consistent, so it might turn on, but right now, that’s the pick of the crop.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SSW 24 | SSW 22 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
263 | 487 | 487 | 412 | 718 | 578 | 790 | 782 | 566 | 491 | 917 | 876 | 530 | 877 | 877 | 619 | 604 | 597 | 475 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 10:17AM1.17m | 7:13PM1.63m | 10:57AM1.24m | 8:00PM1.66m | 11:30AM1.27m | 8:44PM1.68m | 11:58AM1.27m | 9:25PM1.69m | 12:20PM1.26m | 10:03PM1.69m | 12:40PM1.26m | 10:40PM1.66m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:15AM0.09m | 1:30PM1.03m | 3:00AM0.01m | 2:26PM1.05m | 3:39AM-0.06m | 3:12PM1.03m | 4:14AM-0.11m | 3:50PM1.00m | 4:46AM-0.15m | 4:25PM0.95m | 5:15AM-0.17m | 4:57PM0.89m | |||||||
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
8:22 | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 21 | 26 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 27 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 18 |
Feels °C | 18 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 24 | SSW 24 | SSW 22 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | WNW 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 16 | WNW 8 |
156 | 487 | 487 | 412 | 718 | 578 | 790 | 782 | 566 | 491 | 917 | 876 | 213 | 877 | 877 | 264 | 220 | 597 | 245 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SSW 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | S 10 | S 19 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 9 | SSW 16 |
78 | 154 | 125 | 103 | 96 | 58 | 56 | 46 | 46 | 40 | 23 | 55 | 530 | 2 | 178 | 619 | 604 | 3 | 475 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 26 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | SSW 22 | NW 11 | — | SW 12 | — | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 |
263 | 132 | 98 | 66 | 41 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 91 | 5 | — | 36 | — | 12 | 19 | 11 | 26 | 23 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 7 | NW 8 |
23 | 36 | 59 | 43 | 40 | 53 | 53 | 41 | 64 | 100 | 123 | 178 | 375 | 267 | 297 | 489 | 388 | 279 | 423 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 86 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.










