Santa Barbara County, California
Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and very poor conditions with 14mph out of the NW.
Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and very poor conditions with 14mph out of the NW.
Best window·Friday 8AM–11AM·2-3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Surf Beach, 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: 1–2ft, 11s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and very poor conditions with 14mph NW winds.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 10s with gentle E breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 10s with moderate NNW wind around 7mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the NW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 15s with 10mph NNW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 16mph from the NNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 13s with light winds out of the N. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the NW and dropping conditions to very poor.
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 Surf Beach turns Good.
Check Surf Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Surf Beach is a classic sandy beach break on the central California coast that offers accessible waves suitable for learners and intermediate surfers. The beach faces nearly due east, making it responsive to winter and fall swells originating from the Pacific, while benefiting from north winds that create clean, organized conditions. The sandy bottom provides forgiving surf with plenty of rolling peaks across a wide lineup, making it an ideal spot for progression and building fundamentals.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Surf Beach is 1-2ft with a 4.3s swell period. Wind is NW at 13mph. 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 Surf Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.1ft WNW wind swell swell at 4s, a 1.7ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, a 1.6ft WNW tertiary swell at 9s, a 1.1ft 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 Surf Beach is Friday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 2ft waves, a 9.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Surf Beach 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 Surf Beach. 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.
Surf Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Surf Beach is a classic sandy beach break on the central California coast that offers accessible waves suitable for learners and intermediate surfers. The beach faces nearly due east, making it responsive to winter and fall swells originating from the Pacific, while benefiting from north winds that create clean, organized conditions. The sandy bottom provides forgiving surf with plenty of rolling peaks across a wide lineup, making it an ideal spot for progression and building fundamentals.
The prime season at Surf Beach is fall, 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 Surf Beach include sandbars can shift seasonally, occasional rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Surf Beach 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).
