
Surf Forecasts:
Pescaderos surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 19s period, SSW swell with 212 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 19s period with SW 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 Friday (Aug 07) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pescaderos in the next 16 days are 0.5m 19s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 11th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pescaderos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – the next 16 days at Pescaderos are a real mixed bag of small, pretty ordinary conditions. We’ve got a lot of tiny swell and tricky winds, so you’ll have to pick your windows carefully. The water is sitting at 69°F, which is a solid 6°F warmer than usual – that’s very unusual, like swimming in a bath for this time of year. The combined swell energy is mostly weak to moderate, ranging from 140 to 353 (that’s the number in brackets).
Let’s start with Friday morning, 7 August. Glassy conditions with a 3 mph southerly wind, but the swell is only 1 ft from the SW with a very long 19-second period – that’s groundswell, but tiny. Combined energy is just 151 – weak. It’s surfable but very ordinary. Not worth getting excited about. Friday afternoon turns cross with a 6 mph WSW wind, and it’s poor.
Saturday 8 August and Sunday 9 August are all poor – cross-on and cross winds, small 1 ft to 2 ft swell, periods dropping from 18 to 15 seconds. No go.
Monday 10 August morning is glassy again with a 3 mph SW wind, 2 ft swell from the S at 14 seconds, and energy at 206 – still weak. Surfable but ordinary. Afternoon gets some clouds and a light cross-shore, but it’s poor.
Tuesday 11 August through Thursday 14 August – more of the same: tiny 1 ft to 2 ft swell, periods from 13 to 18 seconds, mostly cross or cross-on winds, all poor with scores of 0. The combined energy bounces between 125 and 257. Not worth paddling out.
Now, things start to look a little more interesting around Friday 14 August afternoon – the swell picks up to 2 ft, but the energy jumps to 300 (moderate), and the wind is a gentle cross-shore from the WSW at 9 mph. It’s still marginal, but there’s a tiny bit more push. Saturday 15 August is the standout period – morning has 3 ft swell from the SSW at 16 seconds, energy at 353 (moderate), with a light cross-shore from the WSW at 6 mph. Then Saturday afternoon gets a clean cross-off wind from the W at 12 mph, same 3 ft swell, energy 346 – that’s the best we’ll see. Clean conditions, small but rideable for a longboard or a funboard. Sunday 16 August afternoon is also clean with a 9 mph W cross-off, 2 ft swell, energy 209 – still marginal but surfable.
From Monday 17 August onward, it drops back to 1 ft to 2 ft, mostly poor with cross or cross-on winds, though Tuesday 18 August afternoon and Wednesday 19 August have some clean moments but tiny swell. The energy stays weak, between 144 and 282. The last few days from 20 to 22 August are all poor – small, cross-shore winds, and nothing to write home about.
So, the pick of the bunch is definitely Saturday 15 August – both morning and afternoon. The 3 ft SSW swell with clean winds (morning light cross, afternoon clean cross-off) gives you the best chance for a few fun waves. It’s still small, so grab a longboard. The very long period (16 seconds) means it’s groundswell, better for the point or reef setups, but at Pescaderos it’s a beach break, so expect longer lulls between sets. The water is warm, the crowds are sometimes an issue, so you might have some company. It’s a beginner spot, so this size is perfect.
No other days really stand out. The rest is a long stretch of poor or marginal conditions. Don’t hold your breath for the second week – it’s all small and ordinary.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 22°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 19 | SSW 19 | S 18 | S 18 | SW 16 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
94 | 143 | 98 | 97 | 65 | 125 | 125 | 121 | 153 | 94 | 102 | 96 | 56 | 123 | 121 | 109 | 127 | 125 | 122 | 118 | 154 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross | glassy | on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 5:17PM2.09m | 8:21AM1.34m | 6:24PM2.20m | 9:02AM1.44m | 7:24PM2.32m | 9:38AM1.53m | 8:19PM2.40m | 10:12AM1.62m | 9:09PM2.41m | 10:46AM1.71m | 9:58PM2.34m | 11:20AM1.78m | 10:45PM2.20m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:00AM1.18m | 1:19AM0.30m | 11:40AM1.21m | 2:11AM0.13m | 12:58PM1.16m | 2:57AM0.01m | 2:01PM1.07m | 3:39AM-0.05m | 2:57PM0.96m | 4:19AM-0.04m | 3:49PM0.87m | 4:56AM0.04m | 4:41PM0.80m | ||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 19 |
Feels °C | 26 | 27 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 13 | W 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 |
43 | 143 | 75 | 75 | 65 | 125 | 125 | 121 | 153 | 74 | 54 | 59 | 36 | 123 | 121 | 28 | 40 | 54 | 122 | 118 | 154 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 18 | SW 12 | SSW 16 | W 4 | WNW 11 | WNW 4 | S 14 | SSW 13 | WNW 6 | SSW 13 | WNW 8 | WNW 4 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 8 | SSE 10 | SSW 20 |
94 | 42 | 42 | 97 | 37 | 98 | 3 | 39 | 6 | 94 | 102 | 10 | 56 | 22 | 7 | 109 | 127 | 125 | 34 | 21 | 75 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | S 18 | WNW 4 | S 16 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | NW 11 | SSW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 |
14 | 7 | 98 | 3 | 46 | 37 | 12 | 11 | 29 | 38 | 97 | 96 | 33 | 33 | 13 | 27 | 44 | 21 | 20 | 14 | 21 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 2 | W 4 | — | W 4 | WNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 8 | — | — | WNW 9 | W 4 | — | W 8 | W 8 |
— | 2 | 9 | — | 7 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | 46 | 7 | — | 33 | 29 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 0 | 149 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 135 | 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.











