Steamer Lane-The Slot Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.95° N 122.03° W

Steamer Lane-The Slot Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 05 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Steamer Lane-The Slot sea temperature is
15.9°C
0.9° 

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 6 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 15s period, SSW swell with 559 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period with SSW 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Steamer Lane-The Slot in the next 16 days are 1.1m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Sat 5th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 15s
Best Surf 5AM (Sun 6th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 15s
Most Powerful11PM (Sat 5th Sep)3.5ft (1.1m) 15s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Alright, we’re looking at a 16-day window for Steamer Lane-The Slot, and the first thing you need to know is that the surf is not gonna be pumping from the get-go. The first few days are a bit of a tease. The water temp is sitting at 61°F, which is about 2°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so nothing too wild, just a touch of warm water in the mix.

We start off on Saturday, September 5th, with a morning session that has a bit of life in it. You’re looking at about 4ft of SSW swell, with a long 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy reading is 742 – that’s a moderate amount of push. The wind is light from the WSW at 6 mph, blowing onshore, but it’s light. It’s not going to be a clean winner, but it’s been noted as marginal. The afternoon is a write-off with a stronger cross-onshore wind, so don’t even bother.

Sunday (September 6th) is more of the same. Morning has a little 3ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, light onshore wind, but it’s a marginal call. The afternoon turns into a cross-shore mess.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday, September 7th, and Tuesday, September 8th, are the first real standouts. The mornings are absolutely glassy. I’m talking dead calm, 3 mph winds, glassy conditions. The swell is a consistent 3ft from the S, with a period around 13 seconds. The combined energy is in the 507-546 range – moderate, but that long period and glassy top will make for some smooth, clean lines. This is your best bet for the first week if you want a proper, clean session. The Slot is a reef, so that long period groundswell is going to wrap in nicely.

We roll into Wednesday, September 9th, and the morning is a bit so-so, but the afternoon is a gem. The wind drops to 0 mph, completely glassy, and the swell from the SSW jumps to a 19-second period with a combined energy of 637. That’s a very long period, and while the height is only 2ft, that energy is significant. It’s a classic late-afternoon glass-off and a real sleeper hit.

The rest of the first week and into the second week (September 10th to 16th) is a long, frustrating gap. The swell stays small, the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the energy drops. From the 13th to the 16th, the swell direction turns to the WNW with a short period (6-7 seconds), which is a messy combo for a reef. It’s a dry spell, and the forecasts are all poor or marginal. You’d be better off doing something else for that whole stretch.

But then, just when you think it’s over, we get a promising, long-range shot. Thursday, September 17th has a morning glass-off with a 4ft WNW swell. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a shorter period swell, but it's glassy. The real standout is Friday, September 18th morning. The swell picks up to 5ft from the NW, with a 7-second period, but the wind is glassy, and the combined energy is 680. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s a solid, punchy little wave for the advanced crew. It’s a bit of a smaller period, so it’s not going to be the long, drawn-out lines, but it’ll be fun and powerful. After that, the swell drops off again into the weekend with a return to longer period, smaller swells and onshore winds.

So, for the best on offer: Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th mornings are your clean, glassy, consistent bets for the first week. For the second week, Friday 18th morning is the one to circle on the calendar – it’s the biggest, most powerful swell of the window, and it’s going to be clean. Just remember, that’s a long way out, so treat it as promising, not a guarantee.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

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

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SSW
16
1.2
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
15
1
S
13
1
S
13
1.2
S
13
1
S
12
1.1
S
13
1.1
S
12
0.8
S
11
0.7
SSW
19
0.7
SSW
17
1.3
SSW
12
1.4
SSW
11
0.9
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
16
0.9
SW
15
0.9
SW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
554
688
422
405
301
305
347
342
473
287
398
362
151
312
267
477
448
387
430
331
309
Wind (km/h)
10
WSW
20
WNW
5
N
5
WSW
20
WNW
5
N
5
SW
10
SW
0
NNE
5
SW
10
WSW
10
N
5
W
0
WNW
5
NNW
10
W
5
WNW
0
N
10
WSW
10
W
0
NW
Wind State
on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross
glassy
glassy
on
glassy
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
8:23AM1.19m
5:26PM1.74m
9:03AM1.28m
6:42PM1.76m
9:36AM1.35m
7:51PM1.77m
10:09AM1.41m
8:53PM1.76m
10:40AM1.46m
9:49PM1.71m
11:09AM1.50m
10:42PM1.62m
11:37AM1.54m
11:33PM1.51m
Low Tide
11:23AM1.11m
1:07AM-0.05m
12:56PM1.02m
2:06AM-0.14m
2:02PM0.87m
2:56AM-0.20m
2:57PM0.69m
3:39AM-0.20m
3:46PM0.51m
4:18AM-0.13m
4:32PM0.36m
4:54AM-0.02m
5:17PM0.24m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:41
6:41
6:43
6:43
6:45
6:45
6:46
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:30
7:29
7:28
7:25
7:24
7:22
7:22
 mm
Temp °C
19
23
19
19
23
18
19
21
17
22
23
21
29
32
26
30
31
23
23
27
20
Feels °C
17
19
16
18
19
15
18
20
18
21
21
19
26
30
25
28
30
23
22
26
21
  • 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 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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