Surf Breaks
USA (1297)
CAL – Santa Barbara (36)
California (404)
El Capitan

Lat Long: 34.46° N 120.02° W

El Capitan Surf Photo: 'El Capitan Show' by Christina Colberg

Issued: 10 am 17 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's El Capitan sea temperature is

21.5°C

4.3°

El Capitan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Webcams

16 Day Forecast
Hourly
WaveFinder
Wave Energy Map
Wave Height Map
Wind Map

Nearby Webcams

Live Weather
Wave Buoys

Tides
Sea Temperature

Guide
Reviews
Photos (1)

Share this surf break

Share this link via

Or copy link

Go Pro for an ad-free experience

Upload new photo for El Capitan | for another surf break

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	NNW		WNW	W
	14 s	off		14 s	26 s

Open ocean wave model on 23 February at 7 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	NNW		WNW	W
	15 s	off		15 s	25 s

Open ocean wave model on 23 February at 10 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	N		WNW	W
	15 s	off		15 s	23 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 1 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	N		WNW	W
	22 s	off		14 s	22 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 4 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	NNE		W	WNW
	21 s	glass		21 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 7 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	E		W	WNW
	20 s	glass		20 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 10 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	SW		W	S
	19 s	glass		19 s	18 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 1 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	NW		W	S
	18 s	cross- off		18 s	18 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 4 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	N		W	S
	17 s	off		17 s	18 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 7 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	N		W	S
	17 s	off		17 s	18 s

Open ocean wave model on 24 February at 10 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	NNW		W	S
	16 s	off		16 s	17 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 1 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	N		W	S
	16 s	off		16 s	17 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 4 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	N		W	S
	16 s	off		16 s	17 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 7 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	NW		W	S
	15 s	glass		15 s	17 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 10 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW		W	S
	15 s	glass		15 s	16 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 1 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW		W	S
	14 s	cross- off		14 s	16 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 4 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	NNW		W	S
	14 s	off		14 s	16 s

Open ocean wave model on 25 February at 7 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from El Capitan around the time the photo was taken

Back to photos

Previous photo

Next photo

Previous photo

Next photo

El Capitan Surf Photo: 'El Capitan Show' by Christina Colberg

El Capitan Show

3.3

Use stars to vote

User: Christina Colberg (26 photos)

Country: United States (4074 photos)

Photo taken at: 5:42 pm 24 Feb 2016