Santa Barbara County, California
Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with moderate ESE wind around 7mph.
Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with moderate ESE wind around 7mph.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Sandspit for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Sandspit, Santa Barbara County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 0–1ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 0-1ft and mostly very poor with 7mph from the ESE. Expect the wind to bump up to around 13mph by PM.
Fri, Sep 4: 0–1ft, 18s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 0-1ft and very poor conditions with light ESE winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 16mph.
Sat, Sep 5: 0–1ft, 16s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 0-1ft and mostly very poor with glassy conditions.
Sun, Sep 6: 0–1ft, 15s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 0-1ft and very poor conditions with barely a breath of wind.
Mon, Sep 7: 0–1ft, 14s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 0-1ft and very poor conditions with calm winds.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Sandspit turns Good.
Check Sandspit from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Sandspit is a mellow beach break located along Santa Barbara County's coastline, offering forgiving sand bottom waves ideal for learners and intermediate surfers. The spot receives consistent Pacific swell during winter months and benefits from easterly offshore winds that groom the faces nicely. Its sandy composition and gradual beach setup make it a welcoming entry point for developing your skills in a relaxed, uncrowded environment.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Sandspit is 0-1ft with a 4.8s swell period. Wind is ESE at 7mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Sandspit is 0-1ft, produced by a 1.2ft WSW wind swell swell at 5s, a 0.9ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, a 0.9ft SW tertiary swell at 16s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Sandspit is Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 0ft waves, a 14.9s swell period, and conditions rated Very Poor. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Sandspit works best with a W swell and E winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Sandspit. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Sandspit is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Sandspit is a mellow beach break located along Santa Barbara County's coastline, offering forgiving sand bottom waves ideal for learners and intermediate surfers. The spot receives consistent Pacific swell during winter months and benefits from easterly offshore winds that groom the faces nicely. Its sandy composition and gradual beach setup make it a welcoming entry point for developing your skills in a relaxed, uncrowded environment.
The prime season at Sandspit is winter, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Sandspit include occasional rip currents, shifting sandbars. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Sandspit forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
