Surf Forecasts:
Pescaderos surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period, S swell with 400 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Pescaderos this week:
The surf forecast for Pescaderos over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pescaderos in the next 16 days are 1.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pescaderos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Pescaderos has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.
The honest truth is, for the first few days we're staring at a whole lot of nothing. From Saturday the 22nd right through most of the following week, the waves are just too small and weak to really get excited about. The water is much warmer than normal for this time of year at 69°F, but that’s about the only highlight. The swell energy is weak (under 200) and the conditions are messy, with light cross-shore winds messing up what little bump there is. It's a real flat spell to start.
Things start to grumble a little on Wednesday the 26th. The morning is still pretty marginal with a combined swell energy of 380, but by the afternoon we see a pulse of 3ft S swell at 14 seconds. That's a bit more like it. The energy jumps to a moderate 542, and we get a clean look with light cross-offshore winds from the West. It’s nothing huge, but for Pescaderos, that’s the first real chance for a surfable wave.
Thursday the 27th backs off a touch, and the next standout moment comes on Saturday the 29th. The morning sees some long-period S/SW groundswell at 17 seconds, pushing the energy up to a moderate 497. The waves are still small, around 2ft, but that longer period will give them some shape. The wind stays light and cross-shore, so it’s clean-ish but a little messy.
Looking further out into the first week of September, there’s a more interesting pulse showing up. On Thursday the 3rd of September, we’ve got a 4ft WNW swell in the morning, with a very strong energy reading of 719. The period is only 9 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period windswell, not the cleanest groundswell, but it’s pushing some size. By Friday morning the 4th, that WNW swell builds to 5ft and the energy is over 1000 (1059 to be exact) – that’s strong energy. At this size, it’s pushing into the intermediate to expert territory for Pescaderos. Winds are still light and cross, so the surface will be okay. It's not a total classic, but it's the most powerful window we see.
Then into Saturday the 5th, we get a nice little change. The afternoon session sees a 3ft S/SSW swell at a longer 16-second period, with that clean cross-offshore breeze from the West again. The energy is still strong at 613, and the conditions are described as good. That Saturday afternoon might just be the best all-rounder in the whole outlook.
So, if I had to pick the true standouts, the top nod goes to the Saturday the 5th of September afternoon at Pescaderos. That long-period S/SSW swell, clean 6 mph offshore breeze, and strong energy makes it the cleanest, most surfable session on the cards. The second pick is the Friday the 4th of September morning for the biggest, most powerful WNW swell if you want a bit more grunt, even if it's a bit shorter period.
For the rest of the time, it's mostly small and marginal. The crowds at Pescaderos can be a thing sometimes, but with the surf being this average for most of the run, I wouldn't expect a packed lineup unless you hit those two standouts. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because a blank run like this start can turn around quickly.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 31°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 35°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 17 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
56 | 45 | 71 | 89 | 79 | 112 | 109 | 98 | 135 | 132 | 91 | 89 | 157 | 400 | 361 | 184 | 137 | 81 | 122 | 56 | 246 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | off | cross | cross | off | cross | cross | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 8:55AM1.39m | 6:29PM1.88m | 9:13AM1.44m | 7:17PM1.97m | 9:31AM1.49m | 7:57PM2.04m | 9:50AM1.54m | 8:34PM2.09m | 10:09AM1.59m | 9:10PM2.11m | 10:30AM1.66m | 9:45PM2.07m | 10:51AM1.73m | 10:22PM1.99m | |||||||
Low Tide | 12:14PM1.30m | 2:13AM0.40m | 1:10PM1.24m | 2:46AM0.33m | 1:52PM1.16m | 3:15AM0.27m | 2:29PM1.07m | 3:42AM0.25m | 3:05PM0.98m | 4:07AM0.27m | 3:43PM0.89m | 4:32AM0.32m | 4:22PM0.81m | 4:56AM0.41m | |||||||
6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 34 | 29 | 35 | 33 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 29 |
Feels °C | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 25 | 33 | 32 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 32 | 33 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | WNW 5 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 |
29 | 41 | 26 | 55 | 57 | 112 | 24 | 98 | 135 | 132 | 91 | 89 | 157 | 400 | 361 | 184 | 137 | 51 | 122 | 56 | 82 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SE 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 8 | SW 14 | S 11 | S 10 | W 10 | SW 18 |
56 | 18 | 71 | 89 | 79 | 65 | 109 | 28 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 31 | 89 | 87 | 75 | 45 | 74 | 81 | 51 | 33 | 246 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | SW 17 | SSW 19 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | S 12 | SSE 10 | W 13 | W 12 | SW 15 | W 11 | SW 14 | SW 16 | S 9 | S 18 |
37 | 43 | 37 | 16 | 17 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 28 | 40 | 55 | 28 | 75 | 22 | 66 | 69 | 23 | 152 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | — | W 7 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | — | W 5 | WNW 5 |
23 | 45 | 37 | — | 51 | 32 | — | 31 | 33 | 36 | 115 | 111 | 94 | 172 | 64 | 17 | 75 | 71 | — | 25 | 37 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 150 | 1 | 0 | 311 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Pescaderos Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Pescaderos provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Pescaderos can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Pescaderos 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 (Pescaderos) 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 Pescaderos 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.
Pescaderos is 1 km (1 miles) from Isla Vista. If you plan a vacation in Santa Barbara, look for hotels and other accommodation in Isla Vista. Isla Vista has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











