Surf Forecast Surf Report
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El Capitan location map

El Capitan surf Forecast / CAL – Santa Barbara / USA

12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 4 pm Thursday 25 Apr 2024 PDT
Forecast update in  hr  min  s Update imminent
El Capitan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's El Capitan sea temperature is 13.9°C (Statistics for 25 Apr 1981-2005 - mean: 13.6 °C max: 15.5 °C min: 12.2 °C)
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.leaflet.map_placeholder_alt">Map Placeholder Alt</span>
El Capitan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's El Capitan sea temperature is 13.9°C (Statistics for 25 Apr 1981-2005 - mean: 13.6 °C max: 15.5 °C min: 12.2 °C)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Capitan this week:

The surf forecast for El Capitan over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Apr 25) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 18s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at El Capitan in the next 12 days are 2.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Apr 29) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 10s period and expected on Wednesday (May 01) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Thu 25th Apr)7ft (2.1m) 7s
Best Surf 8PM (Sat 27th Apr)7ft (2.2m) 9s
Most Powerful11PM (Mon 29th Apr)7ft (2.2m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Capitan over the next 12 days.

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Quick surf report for El Capitan:

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Updates in  hr  min  s Update imminent
Thu
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tuesday
30
Wednesday
01
Thursday
02
Friday
03
Saturday
04
Sunday
05
Monday
06
Tue
07
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.7
WNW
1.8
WNW
1.7
WNW
2.1
WNW
2.4
WNW
1.9
WNW
2.3
WNW
1.9
WNW
1.8
WNW
2.3
WNW
2.2
WNW
2
WNW
2
WNW
2.1
WNW
1.6
WNW
2.1
WNW
1.7
WNW
1.5
WNW
1.3
WNW
1.2
WNW
1.3
WNW
1.7
WNW
2.1
WNW
1.7
WNW
2
WNW
2.1
WNW
1.4
WNW
1.4
WNW
1.2
WNW
1
WNW
0.9
WNW
0.6
WNW
0.6
WNW
0.6
WNW
0.5
NW
0.6
WNW
Period(s) (?)6877898998991011111111101010998878888891514141313
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy (?)230372254430644536687586464670800672761104958699960449234528628044058731943555926425118515113414313312385114
Wind
(km/h)
25
WNW
15
NNW
25
NW
35
NW
20
NNW
20
NW
30
NW
15
N
10
WNW
20
NW
15
NNW
10
W
10
WNW
10
N
10
SW
5
W
5
E
10
SSW
10
WSW
5
N
10
SW
10
WNW
10
NNW
10
W
20
NW
15
NNW
10
W
15
WNW
15
NNW
10
NW
20
WNW
15
NNW
5
SW
5
S
5
ESE
10
SSE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
offcrosscross-
off
offcrosscross-
off
offcross-
on
cross-
on
glassoncross-
on
glasscross-
on
crosscross-
off
crosscross-
off
cross-
off
crosscross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
on
oncross-
on
cross-
on
High Tide
/ height (m)
10:46PM
2.07
12:58PM
1.37
11:16PM
2.05
2:13PM
1.31
11:52PM
2.01
4:30PM
1.31
12:39AM
1.95
1:45AM
1.87
6:25PM
1.47
3:14AM
1.80
6:41PM
1.59
4:46AM
1.77
7:04PM
1.73
6:06AM
1.77
7:30PM
1.89
7:15AM
1.77
7:59PM
2.05
8:19AM
1.75
8:30PM
2.20
9:19AM
1.72
9:03PM
2.31
10:17AM
1.67
Low Tide
/ height (m)
4:28PM
1.10
6:14AM
0.35
4:46PM
1.18
7:02AM
0.37
5:01PM
1.25
8:01AM
0.40
4:51PM
1.31
9:08AM
0.41
10:15AM
0.40
9:21PM
1.42
11:15AM
0.38
11:19PM
1.29
12:05PM
0.37
12:33AM
1.07
12:49PM
0.40
1:31AM
0.80
1:29PM
0.47
2:22AM
0.53
2:08PM
0.58
3:11AM
0.30
2:45PM
0.71
3:59AM
0.12
Thu
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tuesday
30
Wednesday
01
Thursday
02
Friday
03
Saturday
04
Sunday
05
Monday
06
Tue
07
Sunrise--6:13--6:13--6:11--6:11--6:09--6:09--6:07--6:07--6:05--6:05--6:03--6:03
Sunset7:39--7:40--7:42--7:42--7:43--7:44--7:45--7:45--7:45--7:46--7:47--7:49--
clearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearcloudcloudpart cloudpart cloudclearclearclearclearclearclear
Rain (mm)
------------------------------------
Temp. °C191219191319221321221321221520211618191519221420211317171215191318201317
Feels °C (?)158131271415919191019201318191517181418201118179141381317816181316

Short Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the NNW by Sun morning).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 6-9 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Long Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our El Capitan surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the El Capitan Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for El Capitan provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at El Capitan can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Capitan 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 (El Capitan) 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 El Capitan 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.

El Capitan is 16 km (10 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.

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