Following are a number of charts that provide a glimpse into swell, wind, and tide data. Part of learning to surf is learning the art and science of surf forecasting! Though looking at the raw buoy data may take some getting used to, don't be intimidated. With a little practice, a few rules of thumb you can get up to speed with interpreting raw buoy data for Santa barbara and say goodbye to Surfline.
This section shows current wave heights for Southern California. Generally, the best way to get a snapshot of the swell energy in and around Santa Barbara is this this live model. The surf at our local breaks is most closely approximated by the color of the map directly adjacent to the coastline.
Tips on interpreting this graph:
This report shows the projected wave height at Point Conception, a leading indicator for Santa Barbara surf forecasting. Typically, a wave height of 10ft or above on the Harvest Buoy translates to significant swell for Santa Barbara county. A couple rough rules of thumb:
*This can vary based on direction and swell period, but for now, this should be enough to be dangerous with local surf forecasting