Marine forecast
Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA
- current wind
- 16 kt NW
- Gusts
- 19 kt
- Seas
- 7.9 ft
- Period
- 18 sec
- Water
- 66°F
Observed Tue 12:10 PM | PZZ673
- Gusts now
- 19 kt
- Seas now
- 7.9 ft · 18 sec
- Water
- 66°F
- 72-hr peak
- 21 kt
- Peak seas
- 6 ft
In brief
At 12:10 pm PDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station 46054 (WEST SANTA BARBARA 38 NM West of Santa Barbara, CA, 8 miles away) measured wind from the NW at 16 kt, gusting to 19 kt; buoy 46218 measured seas of 7.9 ft. The NWS forecast for Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA issued at 8:46 am PDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for today: “NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming 15 to 25 kt this afternoon. Seas 6 to 8 ft.” A Small Craft Advisory is in effect until Wed 12:00 AM.
Source: National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 21 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 6 ft
Marine advisory
Small Craft Advisory in effect for Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA until Wed 12:00 AM.
Full text of this small craft advisory
* WHAT...Hazardous sea conditions. * WHERE...Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands. * WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to midnight PDT tonight. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...See the Coastal Waters Forecast (CWFLOX) for more.
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Today | NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming 15 to 25 kt this afternoon. Seas 6 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: NW 7 ft at 9 seconds and S 3 ft at 16 seconds. |
| Tonight | NW wind 20 to 25 kt, becoming N 15 to 20 kt after midnight. Seas 6 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: NW 6 ft at 8 seconds, NW 4 ft at 15 seconds and S 3 ft at 17 seconds. |
| Wed | N wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: NW 5 ft at 7 seconds, NW 4 ft at 14 seconds and S 3 ft at 15 seconds. |
| Wed Night | NW wind 15 to 20 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: NW 5 ft at 7 seconds, NW 3 ft at 14 seconds and S 3 ft at 15 seconds. |
| Thu | N wind 10 to 20 kt, becoming NW 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 5 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: NW 5 ft at 7 seconds, NW 3 ft at 13 seconds and S 3 ft at 15 seconds. |
| Thu Night | N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: NW 4 ft at 6 seconds, NW 3 ft at 13 seconds and S 3 ft at 15 seconds. |
| Fri | N wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: NW 4 ft at 6 seconds, NW 3 ft at 12 seconds and S 3 ft at 15 seconds. |
| Fri Night | N wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: N 3 ft at 5 seconds, NW 3 ft at 12 seconds and S 3 ft at 15 seconds. |
| Sat | N wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: N 4 ft at 6 seconds, NW 3 ft at 11 seconds and S 3 ft at 16 seconds. |
| Sat Night | NW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft, building to 6 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: NW 6 ft at 8 seconds, NW 3 ft at 13 seconds and S 3 ft at 17 seconds. |
Issued Tue 8:46 AM by Los Angeles/Oxnard CA (product CWFLOX).
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 12:10 PM | 16 kt NW | 19 kt | — | 66°F |
| Tue 11:50 AM | 16 kt NW | 18 kt | 6.2 ft | — |
| Tue 10:50 AM | 14 kt NW | 18 kt | 6.2 ft | 66°F |
| Tue 9:50 AM | 16 kt NW | 18 kt | 5.9 ft | 66°F |
| Tue 8:50 AM | 16 kt NNW | 18 kt | 6.6 ft | 66°F |
| Tue 7:50 AM | 16 kt NNW | 19 kt | 6.6 ft | — |
| Tue 6:50 AM | 16 kt NNW | 19 kt | 7.2 ft | 67°F |
| Tue 5:50 AM | 14 kt NW | 18 kt | 6.2 ft | 67°F |
| Tue 4:50 AM | 16 kt NNW | 19 kt | 5.6 ft | 67°F |
| Tue 3:50 AM | 16 kt NNW | 19 kt | 5.6 ft | 67°F |
| Tue 2:50 AM | 14 kt NNW | 16 kt | 5.9 ft | — |
| Tue 1:50 AM | 14 kt NNW | 16 kt | 5.9 ft | 67°F |
Observed Tue 12:10 PM at NDBC buoy 46054 (WEST SANTA BARBARA 38 NM West of Santa Barbara, CA), 8.4 miles away. Seas from buoy 46218 (Harvest, CA (071)), 29.2 miles away, at Tue 11:56 AM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA today?
Today: NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming 15 to 25 kt this afternoon. Seas 6 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: NW 7 ft at 9 seconds and S 3 ft at 16 seconds.
Is there a small craft advisory for Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA?
Yes — small craft advisory in effect until Wed 12:00 AM.
How high are the waves at Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA right now?
Seas are running 7.9 ft at a 18-second period, measured at NDBC buoy 46054 Tue 12:10 PM, 8.4 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 6.0 ft Tue 5 PM.
What is the water temperature at Point Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA?
The nearest buoy read 66°F (19°C) at Tue 12:10 PM. Sea surface temperature at a single buoy can differ by several degrees from the water at a beach or in a shallow bay nearby.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone PZZ673, issued by Los Angeles/Oxnard CA, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product CWFLOX, issued Tue 8:46 AM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station 46054, read Tue 12:10 PM. Retrieved Oct 13, 12:42 PM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.