Advisory: elevated tar reported at this beach. Source unconfirmed — see The Tar Story for the seeps-vs-infrastructure question.
Carpinteria State Beach
TAR/OIL 3.5/10 0 reports today · last 3 days ago Tar/Oil scores 0–10 · 10 clean
3.5 Sand
3.5 Water
Surf
SURF 3-5 ft · chest-to-head
Offshore swell 6.2 ft @ 11s W
· obs 1h ago
CDIP MOP nearshore model (Scripps, DOI 10.18437/C7WC72) + local windsea
Wind
onshore · SE
Tide ft MLLW
now 2.0 ft rising · next H 5.1 · 4:27 PM
Temps
64.6°F Water
62.7°F Air
Tar/Oil Conditions
TAR/OIL SCORE (0-10 · 10 = clean) · 7 DAYSHow scoring works →now 3.5
Surf
Offshore Buoy — West Santa Barbara46054 · obs + forecast · NDBC / wave model
no data
Swell direction · every 6h
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Sat 2 AMLoading swell x tar…
more in Research →Weather
Weather
62.7°Fsunny3.7 ktUV 0Sunrise 6:34 AM · Sunset 7:18 PM
Today, hour by hour
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Wind direction
Sat 12 AM
Sat 4 AM
Sat 8 AM
Sat 12 PM
Sat 4 PM
Sat 8 PM
TodayUV 7 HighSunrise 6:34 AMSunset 7:18 PMMoonrise 12:16 AMMoonset 3:43 PM🌘 Waning Crescent
Live Observations
Jul 18, 1:36 PM anon Wrack line Clean Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid Tar balls – C
Jul 18, 1:08 PM anon Dry sand Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – B
Jul 18, 12:53 PM anon Waterline Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – B
Jul 18, 12:06 PM moremesa_mo Dry sand Clean Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid – – A
Jul 18, 10:08 AM channelkeeper_kai Waterline Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid None – B
Jul 18, 10:01 AM anon Waterline Sheen Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – C
Jul 18, 9:22 AM reef_walker Rocks Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid – – C
Jul 18, 9:17 AM channelkeeper_kai Wrack line Clean Broken-continuous >50% Film – – Sheen – A
Jul 18, 9:13 AM anon Wrack line Sheen Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – B
Jul 18, 8:51 AM anon Rocks Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – A
Jul 18, 8:11 AM anon Wrack line Sheen Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid Odor – A
Jul 18, 7:44 AM anon Rocks Sheen Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid None – A
Jul 18, 6:58 AM channelkeeper_kai Wrack line Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid None – C
Jul 18, 6:11 AM channelkeeper_owen Wrack line Clean Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – A
Jul 17, 5:44 PM beach_biologist Waterline Clean Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – C
Jul 17, 3:46 PM anon Dry sand Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen, Odor – C
Jul 17, 3:23 PM UCSB COPR Lab ★ Dry sand Clean Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen – A
Jul 17, 2:29 PM anon Dry sand Clean Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Liquid None – B
Jul 17, 2:26 PM anon Rocks Clean Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid None – B
Jul 17, 2:16 PM UCSB COPR Lab ★ Waterline Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Liquid None – A
16-Day Forecast
SAT SEP 5
Sat, 9/5 Morning 3.5ft · chest-to-head 3ft @ 10.8s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 69.5°F 96%
Sat, 9/5 Evening 3.5ft · chest-to-head 2.9ft @ 10.8s – sideshore Clear · 75.3°F 96%
SUN SEP 6
Sun, 9/6 Morning 4.2ft · chest-to-head 3.2ft @ 10.6s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 72.2°F 93%
Sun, 9/6 Evening 4.4ft · chest-to-head 3.1ft @ 10.2s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 78.3°F 93%
MON SEP 7
Mon, 9/7 Morning 4.7ft · chest-to-head 3.2ft @ 9.2s – sideshore Clear · 76.7°F 91%
Mon, 9/7 Evening 4.2ft · chest-to-head 3.1ft @ 9.1s – onshore Clear · 81.4°F 91%
TUE SEP 8
Tue, 9/8 Morning 3.3ft · chest-to-head 2.6ft @ 9.1s – sideshore Overcast · 80°F 88%
Tue, 9/8 Evening 3ft · chest-to-head 2.6ft @ 8.4s – sideshore Mostly cloudy · 85.6°F 88%
WED SEP 9
Wed, 9/9 Morning 2.8ft · waist-high 2.3ft @ 8.1s – sideshore Overcast · 81.4°F 86%
Wed, 9/9 Evening 2.8ft · waist-high 2.2ft @ 8.2s – onshore Partly cloudy · 87.9°F 86%
THU SEP 10
Thu, 9/10 Morning 3ft · chest-to-head 2.2ft @ 8s – onshore Clear · 78.7°F 83%
Thu, 9/10 Evening 2.3ft · waist-high 3.2ft @ 5.9s – sideshore Clear · 85.2°F 83%
FRI SEP 11
Fri, 9/11 Morning 3ft · chest-to-head 3.2ft @ 6.2s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 77.9°F 81%
Fri, 9/11 Evening 3.9ft · chest-to-head 3.7ft @ 5.6s – sideshore Overcast · 87.7°F 81%
SAT SEP 12
Sat, 9/12 Morning 1.5ft · shin-to-knee 2.8ft @ 6.4s – onshore Partly cloudy · 75.5°F 78%
Sat, 9/12 Evening 1.8ft · shin-to-knee 3.2ft @ 5.9s – sideshore Clear · 87.5°F 78%
SUN SEP 13
Sun, 9/13 Morning 2ft · waist-high 3.8ft @ 5.5s – sideshore Clear · 75.1°F 76%
Sun, 9/13 Evening 2.7ft · waist-high 4.4ft @ 5.3s – sideshore Clear · 83°F 76%
MON SEP 14
Mon, 9/14 Morning – · – – – Clear · 73.9°F 73%
Mon, 9/14 Evening – · – – – Partly cloudy · 81.4°F 73%
TUE SEP 15
Tue, 9/15 Morning – · – – – Mostly cloudy · 73.6°F 71%
Tue, 9/15 Evening – · – – – Mostly cloudy · 78.5°F 71%
WED SEP 16
Wed, 9/16 Morning – · – – – Clear · 70.4°F 68%
Wed, 9/16 Evening – · – – – Clear · 75.7°F 68%
THU SEP 17
Thu, 9/17 Morning – · – – – Clear · 68.7°F 66%
Thu, 9/17 Evening – · – – – Clear · 74°F 66%
FRI SEP 18
Fri, 9/18 Morning – · – – – Clear · 69°F 63%
Fri, 9/18 Evening – · – – – Clear · 74°F 63%
SAT SEP 19
Sat, 9/19 Morning – · – – – – 61%
Sat, 9/19 Evening – · – – – – 61%
SUN SEP 20
Sun, 9/20 Morning – · – – – – 58%
Sun, 9/20 Evening – · – – – – 58%
Confidence is an estimate based on forecast lead time.
Nearby Buoys
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Nearby Incident Reports
Aug 13, 2026 IncidentNews Pollution Surveillance Report off Santa Barbara; Montecito, California 11.3 km
Source ↗
Aug 12, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: REPORT DATE: 08-13-2026
REPORT TIME: 1320 UTC
REGION: PACIFIC
SUB REGION: CALIFORNIA
AREA/BLOCK: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 6658
IMAGE DATE: 08-12-… 11.3 km —
Jul 12, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED A SHEEN OFFSHORE OF SUMMERLAND BEACH, POSSIBLY FROM A NATURAL SEEP. 7.7 km —
Jun 23, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER IS REPORTING A MYSTERY SHEEN IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN
1 km —
May 30, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTING AN UNKNOWN SHEEN AND TAR BALLS ON THE BUTTERFLY BEACH. THE PRECISE SOURCE AND CAUSE ARE UNKNOWN.
THE SHEEN IS COVERING AN… 11.1 km —
May 28, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER REPORTED THE DISCOVERY OF AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ON THE WATERS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 8.9 km —
May 13, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER STATES A RELIEF VALVE RELEASED PRODUCED WATER AND CRUDE OIL, WHICH RAN DOWN THE CONDUCTOR IMPACTING HTE PACIFIC OCEAN. 12 km —
Apr 29, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER STATES THAT THICK TAR PATTIES "THE SIZE OF COW PIES" ARE WASHING UP ONT THE SHORE OF FARIA BEACH.
COVERING APPROX .25 MILES TO. 5 MI… 14.6 km —
Apr 26, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER STATED THAT THEY DISCOVERED A VESSEL THAT BROKE IT'S MOORING. BECAUSE OF THIS THE VESSEL RAN AGROUND ON A BEACH AT THE LOCATION. … 8.4 km —
Show older (10)
Feb 16, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED WHILE THEY WERE ON A HIKE THEY SAW A SPILL OF OIL ON THE GROUND ACROSS THE ROAD. NO SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED. 20.6 km —
Feb 11, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: ///POTENTIAL RELEASE///
VESSEL WENT HARD AGROUND AND IS BREAKING APART ON SHORE. THERE IS NO SIGN OF A RELEASE BUT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR… 12.4 km —
Dec 29, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER STATED THAT A SEPARATING TANK ON A PLATFORM RELEASED (5) TABLESPOONS OF CRUDE OIL INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE CAUSE OF THE RELEAS… 10.1 km —
Dec 24, 2025 IncidentNews Beached Sailboat on East Beach; Santa Barbara, California 14.3 km
Source ↗
Nov 30, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CRUDE OIL DISCHARGED FROM A LOADING DOCK ROLL-OFF BIN ONBOARD A PLATFORM DUE TO OPERATOR ERROR (HIT A RAILING WHILE LOADING). 10.7 km —
Oct 10, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER STATES UNKNOWN OIL WAS DISCOVERED DISCHARGING FROM A 6 INCH PIPE RISING OUT OF THE SAND DUE TO AN UNKNOWN CAUSE AT THIS TIME. CALLER… 7 km —
Aug 24, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: ****THIS IS A POTENTIAL RELEASE REPORT****
THE CALLER DISCOVERED A SAILBOAT AGROUND ON BUTTERFLY BEACH. NO POLLUTION OBSERVED AT THIS TIME… 12.2 km —