Refugio State Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.46° N 120.08° W

Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 am 16 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Refugio State Beach sea temperature is
20.8° C
3.6° 

Refugio State Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Refugio State Beach surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 419 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s 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 Sunday (Aug 16) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m 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 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore 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 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Sun 16th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 15s
Best Surf 5AM (Wed 19th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 15s
Most Powerful11AM (Sun 16th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Refugio State Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into the 16-day outlook for Refugio State Beach.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this isn't a vintage run for Refugio. We're looking at a long, drawn-out period of marginal surf. The swell energy is there in the water, with readings like 449 and 452 popping up early on, which is moderate energy for sure, but the problem is that the conditions are just never quite coming together for a proper session. The direction is consistently from the SSW to WNW, with a lot of that long-period groundswell around 14 to 16 seconds, which has plenty of push but can make things a little tricky on a beach and point setup.

The water temperature is sitting at a very unusual 69°, which is a staggering 7° warmer than average for this time of year. You’re gonna be swimming in bathwater out there, which is pretty wild for August.

The standout moment, and it’s really the only one worth getting excited about, lands on Sunday, 31st August. The morning is a write-off with onshore wind, but the afternoon brings a change. We see the swell bumping up to 6ft from the WNW, and while the period is a short 6 seconds, the combined energy hits 504. What makes this potentially good is that the wind goes light cross-onshore from the SW, just a slight air, which could keep it cleaner than anything else we've seen. It still won't be perfect, but it's the best chance of a rideable wave in this entire outlook. For beginners, that 6ft might be pushing the limits though.

Before that, there's a whole lot of nothing. From the middle of August right through to the 30th, the forecast is littered with scores of 0 or 1. The swell hangs around the 2ft to 4ft range but the wind is almost always a cross or cross-onshore breeze, creating ripples and chop. It's not total flatness, but it's the kind of surf you drive past. The 22nd afternoon and the 23rd afternoon look particularly weak, dropping to 1ft with long periods that will just wall up.

Later on, around the 28th and 29th, we get some cleaner cross-offshore winds from the NW, but the swell is still small, around 2ft to 3ft, so you'd be hunting for little nuggets. The energy is strong (560 on the 28th afternoon) but it's a lot of water moving with not much shape on offer.

So, the call is simple. Don't bother for the next two weeks. Keep an eye on that Sunday 31st August afternoon for the only real window we've got.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Tue afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Fri afternoon, min 22°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSW
16
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
16
1.3
WNW
8
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
1.2
WNW
8
1.1
WNW
7
0.3
SW
18
1.2
WNW
8
0.3
SW
18
0.5
SSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
419
272
268
268
268
264
226
196
239
263
280
180
183
183
134
150
102
68
168
59
120
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
15
W
10
N
5
WNW
15
WNW
10
NNW
10
WSW
10
WNW
10
NNW
10
SW
10
W
5
N
10
SW
5
WSW
5
ENE
10
SW
10
WSW
5
NNE
10
SW
10
W
5
NNW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-off
High Tide
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
8:56AM1.39m
6:30PM1.88m
Low Tide
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
12:15PM1.30m
2:14AM0.40m
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:22
6:22
6:22
6:24
6:24
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:46
7:45
7:44
7:43
7:42
7:40
7:38
 mm
Temp °C
27
28
22
28
31
22
31
32
25
30
32
26
31
32
26
30
33
27
32
33
28
Feels °C
26
27
20
27
29
19
29
31
23
29
31
24
30
31
25
30
33
26
31
32
26
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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