Steamer Lane-The Slot Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.95° N 122.03° W

Steamer Lane-The Slot Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Steamer Lane-The Slot sea temperature is
14.6° C
0.1° 

Steamer Lane-The Slot surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Steamer Lane-The Slot surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, WNW swell with 495 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period with WNW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Steamer Lane-The Slot this week:

The surf forecast for Steamer Lane-The Slot over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Steamer Lane-The Slot in the next 16 days are 1.7m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Tue 4th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 8s
Best Surf 8AM (Mon 10th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 10s
Most Powerful 8AM (Mon 10th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Steamer Lane-The Slot over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Right, let’s have a look at the forecast for the Slot. I’ve got to be straight with you, it’s not looking like a classic week of waves. The water’s sitting at 58°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

The first few days, Tuesday through Thursday, are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got small, weak swell, only around 1ft to 3ft, with a short period. The wind is light but onshore, putting some bumps on the surface. It’s pretty junky. The energy is weak, with values in the 127 to 249 range. You’re not going to be getting any proper rides.

Then we get into the weekend, and it’s still not great. Friday and Saturday start to see a bit more life in the water, with the swell picking up to 2ft to 2ft, but it’s longer period – 17 to 19 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and it can be a bit too straight-breaking for a setup like this. It’s still pretty gutless, and the conditions are still marginal.

Now, Sunday the 9th is where things start to get a bit more interesting. The swell shows up a bit stronger, around 4ft from the WNW, with a period of 10 seconds. The energy is now moderate, with combined values hitting 606 in the morning. The wind is still light and onshore, so it might have some texture on it, but at least there’s some push. This is the first day I’d say is worth a paddle, but it’s still not a standout.

Monday the 10th is similar, with 5ft of WNW swell, but the period drops back to 9 seconds. The energy is moderate, around 587. The morning looks the better bet before the wind swings more cross-on in the afternoon. It’s still onshore, so expect some chop.

Tuesday the 11th has the biggest pulse of this stretch, with 6ft of NW swell in the afternoon, and the energy jumps up to 983 – that’s a strong pulse of energy. But it’s accompanied by a cross-on breeze, so it might be a bit of a battle. This is the biggest surf of the period, but the quality is going to be compromised.

After that, the swell settles back down. We’re back to smaller, longer-period swells from the SSW, with heights mostly under 3ft. The energy stays moderate, but the surf is weak and the conditions are still not great. The week after the 11th, through to the 19th, just looks pretty slow and small. There’s no real power to it.

So, looking at the whole 16-day window, there’s nothing that screams “drop everything and go.” The best on offer is probably the morning of Sunday the 9th, and maybe the morning of Monday the 10th. The surf will be around 4ft to 5ft from the WNW, which is a little bigger and more consistent. The winds are light, albeit onshore, so it’s not going to be perfect, but it’s the most rideable it’s going to get. The bigger swell on the 11th is more for the experienced crew, and with that cross-on wind, it might get a bit messy.

Because it’s a reef setup, the longer period swells from the SSW might be breaking a little too straight, so the more westerly swells look like the better bet. The crowds here are often a factor, so you’ll likely have some company.

For the rest of the time, it’s a case of small waves and poor conditions. It’s not a complete blank, but it’s not far off. Keep an eye on the forecast, because these things can change. But as it stands, don’t get your hopes up for a classic.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
WNW
9
0.9
WNW
8
0.9
WNW
8
0.4
SW
14
0.4
SW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
13
0.5
SW
13
0.4
SW
18
0.4
SSW
19
0.5
SSW
19
0.5
SSW
17
0.7
SSW
18
0.5
SSW
17
0.8
SSW
16
1.3
WNW
10
1.3
WNW
10
1.6
WNW
9
1.6
WNW
9
1.4
WNW
9
1.4
WNW
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
151
125
96
72
72
95
84
84
80
139
210
157
318
168
291
319
325
424
415
326
318
Wind (km/h)
10
SSW
10
SSW
5
SSE
10
SSW
10
SW
0
SE
10
SW
10
SW
5
NNE
5
SW
10
SW
5
NW
5
WSW
10
SW
0
WNW
5
WSW
10
SW
0
NNW
10
SW
10
WSW
0
NNE
Wind State
cross-on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
3:08PM1.60m
3:51AM0.99m
3:50PM1.68m
5:58AM0.94m
4:42PM1.75m
8:27AM1.04m
5:42PM1.81m
9:30AM1.17m
6:48PM1.87m
10:10AM1.27m
7:53PM1.92m
10:46AM1.34m
8:53PM1.95m
Low Tide
9:45PM0.38m
8:31AM0.66m
11:01PM0.25m
9:18AM0.85m
00:16AM0.10m
10:49AM1.00m
1:23AM-0.06m
12:33PM1.05m
2:23AM-0.21m
1:50PM1.01m
3:15AM-0.32m
2:52PM0.91m
4:02AM-0.38m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
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>
6:15
6:16
6:16
6:18
6:18
6:18
6:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:12
8:10
8:09
8:08
8:07
8:06
8:05
 mm
Temp °C
19
20
17
19
20
16
22
22
17
23
23
17
22
23
17
21
23
17
18
21
16
Feels °C
18
19
17
18
18
15
21
21
17
22
22
17
21
22
17
21
22
17
17
20
16
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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 Steamer Lane-The Slot Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Steamer Lane-The Slot provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Steamer Lane-The Slot can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Steamer Lane-The Slot 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 (Steamer Lane-The Slot) 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 Steamer Lane-The Slot 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.

Steamer Lane-The Slot is 3 km (2 miles) from Santa Cruz. If you plan a vacation in Santa Cruz, look for hotels and other accommodation in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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