Surf Forecasts:
Refugio State Beach surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 16s period, SSW swell with 525 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 15 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 16s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Refugio State Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Refugio State Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 16s 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 Refugio State Beach in the next 16 days are 1.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 11PM. 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Refugio State Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Yo, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s going on. Right now, the surf at Refugio State Beach is pretty flat and mushy, nothing to get worked up about. The water is way warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 70°F with a 7°F anomaly, so it’s like a bathtub but the waves are missing.
The first chance for a wave comes on Saturday, 15th August. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the SSW, but the period is a very long 16 seconds, which is a groundswell. At this beach-and-point setup, that long period can make the waves break too straight, and the wind is cross-on at 6 mph, so it’s not clean. The combined energy is moderate at 585. Honestly, it’s a poor surf day.
Sunday, 16th August, starts off with a 3ft SSW swell, same long period, and marginal conditions. The afternoon gets worse with a 3ft swell and a 9 mph cross-on wind making it choppy. The next few days, from Monday to Friday, are all similar: small swells around 2ft to 4ft, mostly from the SSW, with cross-on winds and very long periods. The combined energy stays moderate (between 272 and 461). It’s all marginal or poor surf, nothing to rush for.
Now, there’s a gap of a few days where the surf is just too small or messy until we get to the end of the month. The first real standout is on the morning of Friday, 28th August. We get a 6ft swell from the NW, with a period of 9 seconds, and the wind is perfectly offshore from the SSW at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1321, so there’s some real power in the water. This is a top pick for the whole period, but it’s over 5ft, so it might be too much for beginners. The 28th afternoon fades a bit with a 3ft SSW swell, but still a solid option.
The next spot is the morning of Saturday, 29th August, with a 3ft SSW swell and a very long 17-second period. The combined energy is still strong at 719, and the wind is light cross-on. It’s a decent option, but that long period might make it a bit tricky at the beach break. The rest of the days into the 30th stay small, under 3ft, with similar wind and moderate energy.
Overall, the best bet is Friday, 28th August, morning, with that 6ft NW swell, offshore wind, and strong energy. It’s a standout for the experts. Saturday, 29th, morning is also worth a look if you want a smaller, cleaner wave. Be aware that this spot can get crowded often, so don’t expect a quiet session.
Rusty signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Tue afternoon, min 21°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 532 | 436 | 419 | 272 | 268 | 268 | 268 | 264 | 226 | 243 | 264 | 294 | 280 | 180 | 183 | 183 | 134 | 146 | 110 | 68 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 00:22AM1.76m | 1:05PM1.89m | 1:17AM1.53m | 1:42PM1.88m | 2:28AM1.33m | 2:24PM1.84m | 4:24AM1.21m | 3:16PM1.80m | 7:49AM1.24m | 4:22PM1.79m | 8:37AM1.33m | 5:31PM1.82m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:30PM0.74m | 6:36AM0.58m | 7:29PM0.75m | 7:04AM0.78m | 8:38PM0.76m | 7:30AM0.97m | 10:01PM0.74m | 7:54AM1.12m | 11:31PM0.69m | 8:17AM1.24m | 00:44AM0.59m | 10:40AM1.31m | 1:35AM0.49m | |||||||
 |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 20 | 27 | 28 | 22 | 29 | 32 | 22 | 30 | 32 | 25 | 30 | 32 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 26 | 30 | 33 | 26 |
Feels °C | 25 | 20 | 26 | 27 | 20 | 28 | 30 | 19 | 29 | 31 | 23 | 29 | 31 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 25 | 29 | 32 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 532 | 436 | 419 | 272 | 268 | 268 | 268 | 264 | 226 | 101 | 186 | 107 | 280 | 180 | 81 | 183 | 134 | 76 | 99 | 68 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 17 | WNW 15 | SSW 15 | WNW 14 | WNW 12 | SSW 14 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | SSW 13 | WNW 11 | SW 18 |
| kJ | 20 | 19 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 65 | 157 | 23 | 294 | 36 | 61 | 183 | 54 | 79 | 101 | 66 | 48 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | S 10 | NW 12 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 9 | S 10 | S 9 | SW 19 | WNW 14 | S 9 | S 16 | WNW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | WNW 11 | SW 18 | SSE 10 |
| kJ | 8 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 41 | 2 | 5 | 56 | 14 | 15 | 66 | 49 | 10 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 5 |
| kJ | 25 | 27 | 26 | 72 | 87 | 83 | 151 | 223 | 168 | 243 | 264 | — | 76 | 138 | — | 74 | 77 | 146 | 110 | 133 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 0 | 22 | 330 | 0 | 97 | 21 | 0 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 22 | 0 | 33 | 22 | 0 | 191 | 22 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Refugio State Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Refugio State Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Refugio State Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Refugio State Beach 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 (Refugio State Beach) 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 Refugio State Beach 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.
Refugio State Beach is 21 km (13 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.
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