Santa Cruz Surf
Detailed Santa Cruz surf forecast maps and the latest eyeball surf report from local surfers in the region. Near-shore swell is shown on the map together with the surf forecast rating for spots in Santa Cruz. Find the best places to surf in offshore conditions by selecting the wind option on the forecast map. Windsurfers and kite surfers can also use this option to find more favorable cross-shore conditions in Santa Cruz. Our local Wavefinder indicates where some of the best conditions are likely to be found in Santa Cruz over the next 7 days. Surf photos from Santa Cruz and reviews of the best spots and surfing conditions have been provided by local surfers.
Santa Cruz Surf Forecast map for predicting the best wave and wind conditions across the region. For surfers, the map shows the most powerful swell tracking across near-shore open water and not the peak waves experienced by boats out at sea. Move your mouse over the ocean swell symbols or the surf breaks on the coastline to see a more detailed surf forecast including wave period and wind conditions. The forecast updates every 6 hours and most live weather reports update every hour. You can animate the Santa Cruz Surf map or show live wind and wave conditions as reported from wavebuoys and local weather stations. Surf breaks shown along the Santa Cruz coastline are also listed below.
Santa Cruz Photos
Santa Cruz Wavefinder
Wednesday 11 | Thursday 12 | Friday 13 | Saturday 14 | Sunday 15 | Monday 16 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Cruz | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 15 | W 15 | WNW 15 | W 14 | WNW 15 | W 16 | W 19 | WNW 17 | W 16 | W 14 | S 16 | WNW 19 | W 17 | WNW 17 | WNW 16 |
 kJ | 1308 | 1042 | 888 | 1359 | 2675 | 2790 | 2817 | 2280 | 1619 | 9435 | 17393 | 11213 | 5058 | 2155 | 132 | 10616 | 8762 | 7899 | 5409 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:48AM1.25m | 10:19AM1.66m | 1:43AM1.23m | 10:51AM1.62m | 2:08AM1.52m | 11:27AM1.56m | 3:59AM1.21m | 12:09PM1.48m | 4:54AM1.21m | 1:12PM1.74m | 5:14AM1.23m | 2:15PM1.63m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:32AM1.04m | 5:33PM-0.10m | 5:03AM1.12m | 6:11PM-0.04m | 5:33AM1.16m | 6:53PM0.03m | 6:20AM1.19m | 7:40PM0.09m | 8:17AM1.17m | 8:32PM0.15m | 10:00AM1.09m | 9:57PM0.59m | |||||||
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mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 2 | — | — |
Max °C | 18 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
Min °C | 16 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 |
Chill °C | 18 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
 | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 4:59 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | 4:57 | — |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 15 | W 15 | WNW 15 | W 14 | WNW 15 | W 16 | W 19 | WNW 17 | W 16 | W 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 19 | W 17 | WNW 17 | WNW 16 |
| kJ | 1308 | 1042 | 888 | 1359 | 2675 | 2790 | 2817 | 2280 | 1619 | 9435 | 17393 | 11213 | 5058 | 2155 | 1558 | 10616 | 8762 | 7899 | 5409 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 5 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 16 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 14 |
| kJ | 134 | 46 | 150 | 115 | 113 | 104 | 11 | 149 | 226 | 135 | 123 | 120 | 116 | 134 | 132 | 240 | 167 | 107 | 103 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | S 5 | — | SSW 5 | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | 70 | 345 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Sea °C | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
Diff °C | |||||||||||||||||||
Santa Cruz Surf Breaks
Santa Cruz offers a wide variety of breaks and is known as a diverse and friendly place to surf. Reefs, Rivermouths, Beach breaks and Points are all in an abundance on this part of coast. From Waddell Creek to Sunset State Beach swell can batter you from several directions and wrap around to the little coves on the bigger days giving you plenty of options. Santa Cruz is among the most well known surf communities. The water temperature here can get a bit chilly so a 4/3 is needed for a lot of the year. Santa Cruz has produced a high caliber of surfers over the years so expect a certain standard when you head out.
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