
Surf Forecasts:
Sand Beach surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period, SW 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★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Sand Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Sand Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sand Beach 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 0.2m 9s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sand Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you—this stretch we’re looking at is a tough one. The next two weeks are shaping up to be a real grind for wave-hunters, with the ocean putting in a pretty ordinary performance. There’s surf on the cards, but it’s mostly small, weak, and fighting a constant onshore breeze. It’s not a total write-off, but you’ll need to be patient and pick your moments, and even then, you might be scratching your head.
The first few days, from Tuesday the 4th through to the morning of Sunday the 9th, are pretty much a dead loss. We’re looking at tiny, poor-quality waves with cross-onshore winds messing things up. The swell is just not there, and it’s going to be a battle to find anything rideable. The energy in the water is weak, with combined energy values mostly in the low-to-mid 100s, which tells you there’s just not much power behind it. Winds will be light, but they’re coming from the wrong angles, so the surface is going to be bumpy and messy.
There’s a tiny glimmer of hope on Sunday afternoon, the 9th. The wind drops right out and it goes glassy, with a bit of a pulse from the SW. The swell is still only 2ft, but the clean surface will make it feel better than it is. The combined energy is up to 150, which is still weak, but for a beginner, there might be a few soft, crumbly ones to be had. It’s not a standout by any stretch, but it’s about as good as it’s going to get for a while.
From Monday the 10th through to the end of the period, the swell direction stays mostly from the SSW, and the winds mostly stay onshore from the WSW. The wave heights remain stubbornly small, hovering around 1ft to 3ft. The combined energy does start to climb, especially mid-week, with values getting into the 200s and 300s, but that’s mostly a sign of a longer-period south swell, not necessarily a bigger one. That longer period, up around 15 to 19 seconds, is a double-edged sword. It means there’s more push and shape, but it can also make the wave break too straight along the beach, which doesn't help much here.
The pick of a poor bunch looks like the morning of Saturday the 15th. The swell is up to 3ft, still from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds. The wind will be light, from the WSW, which is onshore, but it’s the biggest swell we’ve got. The combined energy is a solid 336, which shows there’s some oomph in the water. It’s still not big, but it’s the most surfable it’s going to be. The downside is the onshore wind, so don’t expect perfection. The water is warm, but that’s not the issue—the lack of decent swell is.
To be honest, the whole window is a bit of a fizzer. There’s no day that screams 'go out and get it.' The swell is consistently small, and the wind is consistently from the wrong direction. For an area like this, a blank run isn’t that unusual though, and the forecast can change. I’d keep an eye on the long-range charts, but I wouldn’t be cancelling any plans for a surf trip. It’s a waiting game.
Stay stoked, and check back in later.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 20°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SW 19 | SSW 19 | SW 17 | S 18 | SW 16 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SW 20 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
56 | 99 | 51 | 32 | 56 | 45 | 44 | 63 | 94 | 143 | 75 | 97 | 65 | 125 | 125 | 121 | 153 | 94 | 102 | 58 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 2:17PM1.85m | 2:54AM1.26m | 3:07PM1.92m | 5:09AM1.17m | 4:08PM1.99m | 7:18AM1.23m | 5:17PM2.09m | 8:21AM1.34m | 6:24PM2.20m | 9:02AM1.44m | 7:24PM2.32m | 9:38AM1.53m | 8:19PM2.40m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:22PM0.82m | 7:54AM0.94m | 10:54PM0.69m | 8:38AM1.08m | 00:16AM0.50m | 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 | |||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 22 |
Feels °C | 23 | 21 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 25 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 14 | W 6 | SW 14 | W 5 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 4 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | W 4 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | W 5 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | SSW 13 |
29 | 99 | 10 | 31 | 15 | 45 | 44 | 14 | 43 | 143 | 15 | 75 | 65 | 125 | 125 | 121 | 19 | 59 | 72 | 58 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | W 16 | SW 14 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | W 4 | W 4 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 17 | S 18 | SW 12 | SW 16 | W 4 | WNW 7 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 13 | W 6 |
34 | 5 | 51 | 13 | 56 | 6 | 6 | 44 | 94 | 42 | 75 | 97 | 37 | 122 | 5 | 18 | 153 | 94 | 102 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | W 6 | WNW 8 | S 12 | NW 7 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | W 4 | W 4 | SW 13 | W 4 | S 16 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 11 | SSW 20 | SW 20 | NW 8 |
2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 37 | 37 | 63 | 3 | 3 | 42 | 3 | 46 | 37 | 12 | 11 | 29 | 38 | 97 | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 4 | — | W 8 | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — | W 4 | WNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
56 | 18 | — | 32 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 0 | 51 | 89 | 0 | 51 | 4 | 0 | 145 | 4 | 0 | 152 | 4 | 0 | 152 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 52 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Sand Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Sand Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Sand Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Sand 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 (Sand 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 Sand 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.
Sand Beach is 2 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.











