Santa Barbara County, California
Best window·Sunday 3PM–6PM·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. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on SW swell at 8s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 7mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor - fair with glassy conditions. Afternoon breeze fills in to 7mph.
Sat, Jun 27: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on WSW swell at 5s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, Jun 28: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Expect 3-4ft all day on WSW swell at 6s with light E winds — nothing amazing but surfable. Afternoon breeze fills in to 8mph.
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 0-1ft with a 16.85s swell period. Wind is WSW at 5mph and conditions are rated 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 0-1ft, produced by a 0.9ft SSW primary swell at 17s, a 0.4ft S secondary swell at 11s, a 0.7ft 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 3 PM to 6 PM with 3ft waves, a 15.45s 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.
