Surf Forecasts:
Refugio State Beach surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, WNW swell with 651 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s 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 (Jul 12) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Refugio State Beach in the next 16 days are 2.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 12th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Refugio State Beach over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Refugio State Beach.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the next 16 days are a bit of a struggle. We’ve got a long stretch of small, messy conditions, and for the first week, there’s nothing really worth paddling out for. The water temp is about average for the time of year, no major surprises there.
We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing until we get to Thursday, July 16th. That morning, the swell bumps up to 6ft from the WNW, but it’s a short-period windswell at 9 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit of a bumpy, crumbly mess. The wind is light and cross-on, so it’s not going to be clean. The combined energy is moderate (1000), but with the wind chop, it’s not going to be a fun paddle. This is better for experts if anyone, but it’s not a standout.
The real standout, and the only one I’d bother marking on the calendar, is the morning of Saturday, July 25th. Now, that’s a long way out, so keep it in the back of your mind. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the WNW, but the period is still short at 8 seconds. The wind is light and cross-on, so it’ll be a bit bumpy but rideable. The combined energy is moderate (378). It’s not perfect, but it’s the most promising looking day in the whole 16-day window given the general lack of quality.
The rest of the time is a write-off. We’ve got days of 2ft to 3ft slop from the SSW, with onshore winds or light cross-onshore breezes. The breaks at Refugio are a beach and point setup, and with the lack of size and bad wind angles, it’s just not going to line up. There’s a moment on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 22nd with a 3ft swell and a 15-second period, but the wind is onshore. That long period is a tease—it’d be clean at a point break, but with the wind on it, it’s a no-go.
So, bottom line: the first week is a total dud. The second week, that Saturday the 25th is your best bet, but it’s a long-range call and could change. If you’re an expert, the 16th is a maybe. Otherwise, keep the board in the car and wait for a better window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Wed morning, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Fri 17 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 17 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 316 | 246 | 249 | 273 | 293 | 297 | 261 | 253 | 201 | 161 | 85 | 121 | 152 | 249 | 279 | 524 | 535 | 275 | 202 | 264 | 170 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 9:05AM1.38m | 7:30PM2.37m | 9:55AM1.45m | 8:24PM2.47m | 10:40AM1.52m | 9:16PM2.51m | 11:22AM1.58m | 10:07PM2.48m | 12:05PM1.64m | 10:57PM2.36m | 12:47PM1.69m | 11:47PM2.17m | 1:29PM1.75m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:20AM0.16m | 12:53PM1.13m | 3:10AM-0.01m | 1:55PM1.12m | 3:58AM-0.12m | 2:54PM1.08m | 4:43AM-0.15m | 3:51PM1.03m | 5:28AM-0.12m | 4:47PM1.00m | 6:10AM-0.01m | 5:46PM0.98m | 6:50AM0.15m | 6:50PM0.97m | |||||||
 |  | |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — |
 | 8:15 | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:12 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 28 | 27 | 23 | 30 | 32 | 26 | 33 | 32 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 24 | 27 | 29 |
Feels °C | 20 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 29 | 28 | 21 | 32 | 30 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 23 | 25 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 9 | SW 16 | SW 19 | WNW 9 | WNW 17 |
| kJ | 141 | 89 | 249 | 273 | 293 | 297 | 261 | 253 | 201 | 161 | 85 | 121 | 95 | 63 | 93 | 90 | 301 | 88 | 177 | 131 | 170 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SW 19 | NW 9 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | WNW 19 | WNW 19 | WNW 18 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 242 | 246 | 50 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 56 | 55 | 53 | 96 | 37 | 111 | 152 | 107 | 49 | 28 | 89 | 123 | 120 | 180 | 74 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | S 19 | S 19 | W 19 | SE 12 | W 17 | SW 21 | W 16 | SW 19 | S 12 | WNW 15 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 20 | WNW 20 | SSW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 18 |
| kJ | 6 | 29 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 18 | 21 | 59 | 25 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 35 | 35 | 78 | 75 | 27 | 54 | 74 | 50 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | SE 2 | SE 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 9 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 |
| kJ | 316 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 90 | 11 | 92 | 119 | 249 | 279 | 524 | 535 | 275 | 202 | 264 | 127 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 170 | 22 | 19 | 117 | 22 | 0 | 56 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 56 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 22 | 3 |
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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