Santa Cruz County � Weather & Marine Report

Report date/time: June 23, 2026 � 13:36 PDT (local). Data sources: NOAA observations and forecasts.

Overview

Santa Cruz County is seeing typical late-June marine conditions with low clouds and patchy morning fog nearshore, trending to partial sun inland and light west-southwest breezes during the afternoon, with daytime highs in the low to mid 70s and lows around the mid-50s tonight [web:3].

Winds & Weather

Surface winds are generally light early, becoming west-southwest at about 5�10 mph this afternoon near the coast, producing a modest onshore flow and a marine layer that will produce low clouds along beaches into early evening [web:6].

Swell, period, and buoy data

Nearby NOAA buoy observations show the regional swell from the south-southwest with average wave heights around 4�5 ft and dominant periods near 14 seconds as reported by buoy 46042 (Monterey area), indicating clean but relatively small long-period southerly energy for Santa Cruz breaks [web:2][web:8].

Tides (brief)

Primary tide station reference: Prsioners Harbor / Santa Cruz Island station (NOAA station 9410971). Today features a morning low and afternoon high pattern typical for the area; consult NOAA Tides & Currents for minute-by-minute predictions for specific launch times and harbors [web:10][web:1].

Next high tide (approx.)	mid to late afternoon (see station 9410971) [web:10]
Next low tide (approx.)	morning to early afternoon window depending on harbor; confirm with NOAA predictions [web:1]

Surf summary

Expect small, clean southerly swell with sets generally 2�4 ft at exposed points and occasionally 4�5 ft at offshore buoy reads; periods near 14 s favor slightly better shape at sandbars and reefed points, but the onshore component and morning fog may reduce visibility and surface texture early in the day [web:2].

Safety notes

Standard coastal hazards include cold water temperatures, rip currents at rips and jetties, and reduced visibility in fog�use local observations and NOAA beach hazard messages before entering the water [web:3][web:6].

raw data from noaa, curated by surforecast pacificwaverider

Credits and references: NOAA Tides & Currents (station 9410971), NWS forecast for Santa Cruz, NOAA buoy observations (46042) [web:1][web:3][web:8][web:10][web:2].