
Surf Forecasts:
Indicators surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 10s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, SSW swell with 1,420 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indicators in the next 16 days are 2.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indicators over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got some swell, sure, but it’s mostly blown out or super marginal. The best bet in the near term is to wait for Monday morning, the 7th, when the wind goes glassy. That’s our first real window for a paddle. The swell is small, just 2ft from the SSW, and the combined energy is weak (229), so don’t expect much push. But it’ll be clean, and sometimes that’s enough to get a few fun ones.
The water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so the wetsuit thickness you’ve been using is fine.
Now, the real standout in this whole period is Wednesday afternoon, the 9th. It’s just a short window, but it’s the best on offer. We get glassy conditions with a 2ft SSW swell running on a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, with the combined energy reading a solid moderate (503). Those long-period lines will wrap in nicely, but remember, that kind of period can make a beach break a bit too straight. For a point or reef, this is money. It’s a clean, glassy session with a bit of grunt behind it.
Thursday morning, the 10th, is also looking clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. The swell picks up a touch to 3ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period and good energy (722). It’s another solid option for a clean wave.
Be careful with Thursday afternoon, the 10th. The swell jumps to 8ft from the SSW, but it’s a shorter period of 10 seconds. The combined energy goes through the roof (2931), but the wind is onshore, and conditions are questionable. That’s a big, chunky, windy mess—only for the experienced crew, and even then, it’s a gamble.
Looking further out, Friday morning, the 18th, is a promising one. We’ve got clean, glassy conditions with a 6ft WNW swell. That’s a solid size, with moderate energy (663). The wind is light and glassy, which is a massive plus. The swell direction (WNW) is a good match for the point’s optimum (WNW), so it should set up nicely. This one is a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it—it’s got real potential.
Between the 9th and the 18th, there’s a long stretch of small, weak, or poorly wind-affected surf. Don’t expect much action during that middle week.
A couple of notes: the break is a point break, fairly consistent, and it can get crowded often, so you’ll have company on the good days. It’s an advanced wave, so if you’re just starting out, the 8ft day on the 10th is way too big for you.
That’s the long and short of it. Get out on the 9th or the 18th if you can, and don’t waste your time on the choppy garbage in between.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 15°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | NW 7 | NW 8 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 20 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
486 | 590 | 554 | 688 | 422 | 405 | 301 | 305 | 183 | 53 | 59 | 81 | 80 | 75 | 127 | 360 | 267 | 373 | 1420 | 492 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | on | off |
High Tide | 4:13PM1.73m | 8:23AM1.19m | 5:26PM1.74m | 9:03AM1.28m | 6:42PM1.76m | 9:36AM1.35m | 7:51PM1.77m | 10:09AM1.41m | 8:53PM1.76m | 10:40AM1.46m | 9:49PM1.71m | 11:09AM1.50m | 10:42PM1.62m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:55PM0.04m | 11:23AM1.11m | 1:07AM-0.05m | 12:56PM1.02m | 2:06AM-0.14m | 2:02PM0.87m | 2:56AM-0.20m | 2:57PM0.69m | 3:39AM-0.20m | 3:46PM0.51m | 4:18AM-0.13m | 4:32PM0.36m | 4:54AM-0.02m | |||||||
— | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | |
7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 |
Temp °C | 22 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 21 |
Feels °C | 18 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 26 | 22 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 13 | S 11 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SW 16 |
486 | 590 | 554 | 688 | 422 | 405 | 301 | 78 | 352 | 511 | 586 | 459 | 356 | 392 | 305 | 188 | 284 | 263 | 1119 | 362 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | S 15 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | S 14 | SSW 15 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | NW 11 |
166 | 130 | 120 | 41 | 55 | 73 | 187 | 305 | 46 | 53 | 59 | 80 | 60 | 37 | 19 | 360 | 267 | 373 | 368 | 30 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSE 12 | S 15 | S 14 | SW 11 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SW 9 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 20 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | WNW 5 | NW 9 | NW 10 | WSW 19 |
154 | 56 | 68 | 15 | 109 | 181 | 57 | 232 | 183 | 13 | 34 | 81 | 80 | 75 | 127 | 96 | 18 | 36 | 24 | 35 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 3 | N 3 | — | NW 9 | — | — | NW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | — | S 6 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 |
5 | 2 | — | 198 | — | — | 147 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | — | 50 | 1420 | 492 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 345 | 0 | 104 | 345 | 0 | 121 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 338 | 0 | 104 | 144 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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)
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.










