Surf Forecasts:
Jelly Bowl surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period, S swell with 388 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Jelly Bowl this week:
The surf forecast for Jelly Bowl over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Jelly Bowl in the next 16 days are 1.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Jelly Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up.
We’re kicking off on Saturday, September 5th, and honestly, it’s a slow start. The swell is small at 2 ft from the SSW, but the real story is the water. The temp is sitting at 70°, which is a massive 6° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual, and it’s going to feel like a warm bath out there. The morning has a light offshore breeze, but the wave energy is weak (367), and the report is calling it marginal. It’s not the worst, but it’s not a standout.
The pattern continues through Sunday and Monday with the swell staying under 3 ft and the wind mostly cross-on. The combined energy nudges up to 444 on Sunday afternoon, which is still only moderate. The water is still way warmer than it should be, which is the main talking point, but the waves themselves are just small and a bit messy.
By Tuesday, September 8th, the wind picks up to 9 mph and the chop gets worse. The swell drops again. Honestly, from Tuesday through to the end of the second week, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. There are long gaps here of several days with no real recommendation. The surf just stays small, often under 2 ft, and the wind is always cross-on or onshore. The period is mostly short, under 10 seconds, and the energy is weak, often under 200. It’s a flat spell.
The only tiny flicker of something different happens on Friday, September 11th, when the swell jumps to 5 ft, but it’s from the W with a period of just 6 seconds – that’s short period, sloppy wind swell. The energy is moderate (360), but the wind is still cross-on. It’s not worth a paddle out.
Looking at the second week, from the 14th onwards, it’s more of the same. Small waves, weak energy, and nothing to get excited about. The swell direction stays mainly SW, and the period gets long again (16-19 seconds), but with heights barely above 1 ft, it’s just a long-period ripple. Not surfable.
The only break in the area is Jelly Bowl, a reef setup that’s fairly consistent and beginner-friendly, but with the swell this small and the wind this average, it’s just not happening. The best bet is Saturday morning, September 5th, with that light offshore and warm water, but the waves are too small to call it a standout. The rest of the 16-day window is a write-off.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 34°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 6 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 212 | 215 | 220 | 285 | 277 | 388 | 345 | 314 | 304 | 286 | 232 | 93 | 108 | 78 | 115 | 193 | 171 | 126 | 118 | 141 | 104 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 5:05PM2.05m | 8:04AM1.49m | 6:19PM2.14m | 8:33AM1.60m | 7:19PM2.22m | 9:02AM1.72m | 8:12PM2.26m | 9:31AM1.82m | 9:00PM2.24m | 10:00AM1.92m | 9:46PM2.15m | 10:28AM2.00m | 10:31PM2.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:21AM1.31m | 1:00AM0.27m | 12:05PM1.24m | 1:49AM0.16m | 1:13PM1.10m | 2:30AM0.11m | 2:08PM0.94m | 3:07AM0.12m | 2:56PM0.78m | 3:41AM0.19m | 3:42PM0.65m | 4:12AM0.31m | 4:27PM0.56m | 4:42AM0.47m | |||||||
 | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — |
 | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:09 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 34 | 34 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 27 |
Feels °C | 24 | 25 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 31 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | W 4 | SSW 12 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 |
| kJ | 212 | 125 | 171 | 285 | 277 | 388 | 345 | 314 | 304 | 286 | 232 | 90 | 108 | 78 | 12 | 93 | 62 | 52 | 32 | 85 | 76 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 16 | WNW 5 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 5 | W 4 | SSW 18 | SSW 13 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SSW 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 126 | 215 | 220 | 107 | 142 | 6 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 31 | 93 | 93 | 71 | 46 | 193 | 171 | 121 | 118 | 106 | 104 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | W 5 | W 12 | SW 10 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | S 22 | W 5 | W 5 | W 11 | SSW 17 | S 12 | SW 10 | SW 8 | SW 7 | WSW 17 | WSW 15 |
| kJ | 29 | 18 | 18 | 7 | 25 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 31 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 115 | 11 | 48 | 17 | 9 | 28 | 23 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 4 | — | W 3 | — | — | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | W 6 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 5 | — | — | 4 | 42 | 25 | 126 | 126 | — | 141 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 121 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 49 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Jelly Bowl Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Jelly Bowl provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Jelly Bowl can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Jelly Bowl 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 (Jelly Bowl) 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 Jelly Bowl 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.
Jelly Bowl is 16 km (10 miles) from the city of Santa Ana. If you plan a vacation in Santa Barbara, look for hotels and other accommodation in Santa Ana. Santa Ana has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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