Surf Forecasts:
Pescaderos surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s period, SSW swell with 326 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period with SSE 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 Wednesday (Aug 26) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pescaderos in the next 16 days are 0.9m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) 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 1.8m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pescaderos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for Pescaderos. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The water is running much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 70°, which is a real treat if you’re sans wetsuit. The overall pattern is dominated by small, short-period swell, and a lot of the time the wind is not playing ball. There are a few windows where things clean up, but you’ll be waiting for them.
The best bet on offer is the morning of Sunday, August 30th. We’ve got clean conditions with a light cross-offshore breeze, a little 3ft swell from the SSW, but with a generous 15-second period. That long period groundswell carries a decent punch of energy (485) for the size, and it should wrap in nicely. Expect clean, glassy lines. The afternoon stays clean too, but that morning is the pick.
Before that, Saturday afternoon, August 29th is worth a mention if you’re an experienced surfer. The swell jumps to 6ft from the WNW, but the period is a short, choppy 6 seconds, and the wind is a moderate 16 mph cross-offshore. It’s clean, but that short period makes it a bit of a bumpy, powerful mess. It’s not for the faint-hearted or the beginner.
The first week has a lot of marginal surf and poor conditions. The Monday morning, September 1st starts off glassy with a 3ft SSE swell, but the energy is only moderate (265), and it’s described as “surfable but very ordinary.” You might get a few, but it’s not going to be memorable.
From September 5th onwards, the size drops off and the conditions become more consistently poor. The swell sticks around 2ft to 3ft, but the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, and the scores are low. There’s a long gap of several days with no real recommendations from the 6th to the 10th of September. It’s a quiet end to the run.
So, to sum it up: Sunday morning the 30th is your standout. Set your alarm. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 34°C on Fri afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | WNW 8 | S 11 | WNW 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 | WNW 9 | WNW 6 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
212 | 189 | 126 | 130 | 121 | 181 | 96 | 68 | 312 | 302 | 245 | 255 | 249 | 218 | 218 | 116 | 117 | 125 | 109 | 91 | 141 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross | glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 10:09AM1.59m | 9:10PM2.11m | 10:30AM1.66m | 9:45PM2.07m | 10:51AM1.73m | 10:22PM1.99m | 11:14AM1.81m | 11:01PM1.86m | 11:39AM1.87m | 11:45PM1.70m | 12:07PM1.93m | 00:36AM1.51m | 12:42PM1.96m | 1:45AM1.33m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:05PM0.98m | 4:07AM0.27m | 3:43PM0.89m | 4:32AM0.32m | 4:22PM0.81m | 4:56AM0.41m | 5:03PM0.74m | 5:19AM0.53m | 5:49PM0.69m | 5:43AM0.68m | 6:42PM0.65m | 6:08AM0.82m | 7:45PM0.63m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 33 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 33 | 34 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 20 |
Feels °C | 32 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | S 10 | WNW 7 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 12 |
212 | 189 | 75 | 130 | 79 | 77 | 94 | 26 | 312 | 302 | 206 | 255 | 249 | 218 | 218 | 47 | 117 | 125 | 109 | 91 | 141 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SSE 11 | S 10 | S 11 | SW 14 | S 9 | SW 16 | S 18 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | SW 18 |
48 | 48 | 126 | 51 | 121 | 65 | 28 | 68 | 152 | 91 | 127 | 124 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 98 | 75 | 68 | 8 | 5 | 79 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | S 12 | SW 14 | W 11 | SW 16 | S 19 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | W 11 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 5 |
124 | 85 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 22 | 66 | 66 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 116 | 10 | 5 | 44 | 17 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 4 | W 4 | WNW 4 | — | SSE 3 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 181 | 96 | 126 | 172 | 281 | 245 | 181 | 216 | 195 | 70 | 25 | 20 | 15 | — | 2 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 311 | 1 | 311 | 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.











