Santa Barbara County, California
Best window·Sunday 5PM–8PM·3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Tarpits/Carpinteria State 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.
Wed, Jun 24: 1–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on SSW swell at 11s with calm winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Thu, Jun 25: 2–2ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 2ft and poor - fair conditions with light winds out of the SSE.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 2-3ft and poor - fair conditions with calm winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 7mph.
Sat, Jun 27: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on WSW swell at 6s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, Jun 28: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor - fair with 3-4ft waves. Things come together by the afternoon with 4-6ft at fair.
Carpinteria State Beach offers accessible, mellow beach breaks that roll onto a sandy bottom with a natural, user-friendly shape. The spot benefits from south-southwest swell direction and works best with northeast offshore winds that groom the waves into clean, peeling lines. This is an ideal location for beginners and intermediate surfers looking for a fun, laid-back session with the added bonus of exploring the historic state beach park.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach is 3-4ft with a 16.95s swell period. Wind is W at 6mph and 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 Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 0.7ft SSW primary swell at 17s, a 0.7ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.4ft S tertiary swell at 11s, a 0.6ft WSW wind swell swell at 4s. 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 Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach is Sunday from 5 PM to 8 PM with 3ft waves, a 15.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach works best with a SSW swell and NE 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 Tarpits/Carpinteria State 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.
Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Carpinteria State Beach offers accessible, mellow beach breaks that roll onto a sandy bottom with a natural, user-friendly shape. The spot benefits from south-southwest swell direction and works best with northeast offshore winds that groom the waves into clean, peeling lines. This is an ideal location for beginners and intermediate surfers looking for a fun, laid-back session with the added bonus of exploring the historic state beach park.
The prime season at Tarpits/Carpinteria State 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 Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach include tar deposits, occasional strong rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Tarpits/Carpinteria State 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
