Advisory: elevated tar reported at this beach. Source unconfirmed — see The Tar Story for the seeps-vs-infrastructure question.
More Mesa Beach
TAR/OIL 1.3/10 0 reports today · last 3 days ago Tar/Oil scores 0–10 · 10 clean
5.5 Sand
0.0 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
63.2°F Air
Tar/Oil Conditions
TAR/OIL SCORE (0-10 · 10 = clean) · 7 DAYSHow scoring works →now 1.3
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
63.2°Fsunny3.8 ktUV 0Sunrise 6:35 AM · Sunset 7:19 PM
Today, hour by hour
☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
Wind direction
Sat 12 AM
Sat 4 AM
Sat 8 AM
Sat 12 PM
Sat 4 PM
Sat 8 PM
TodayUV 7 HighSunrise 6:35 AMSunset 7:19 PMMoonrise 12:17 AMMoonset 3:44 PM🌘 Waning Crescent
Live Observations
Jul 18, 8:20 AM anon Wrack line Clean Trace <1% Greasy coat – – Sheen, Odor – C
Jul 18, 6:07 AM refugio_rae Waterline Clean Trace <1% Greasy coat – – – – C
Jul 15, 2:28 PM driftwood_dave Waterline Clean Patchy 11-50% Balls Coin Liquid Tar balls – B
Jul 15, 7:48 AM anon Dry sand Black line Sporadic 1-10% Greasy coat – – Sheen – B
Jul 14, 12:14 PM SB Channelkeeper Volunteers ★ Wrack line Black line Broken-continuous >50% Film – – None – A
Jul 14, 7:17 AM anon Waterline Clean Patchy 11-50% Balls – Liquid – – A
Jul 13, 1:57 PM anon Waterline Clean Broken-continuous >50% Pavement – – None – A
Jul 13, 12:58 PM summerland_sue Waterline Clean Trace <1% Balls Coin Liquid Sheen, Odor – A
Jul 13, 9:22 AM anon Wrack line Clean Broken-continuous >50% Film – – None – B
Jul 11, 7:31 AM copr_val Dry sand Black line Broken-continuous >50% Balls Plate Sticky None – C
Jul 11, 7:02 AM leadbetter_lee Dry sand Black line Trace <1% Greasy coat – Firm None – B
Jul 8, 4:36 PM anon Waterline Clean Trace <1% Balls Coin Sticky None – C
Jul 8, 11:12 AM anon Wrack line Clean Sporadic 1-10% Film – – None – B
Jul 6, 9:19 AM anon Waterline Clean Trace <1% Balls – Firm None – A
Jul 6, 8:24 AM anon Wrack line Sheen Trace <1% Balls Coin Sticky – – B
Jul 5, 8:08 AM channelkeeper_kai Waterline Black line Trace <1% Balls Coin Firm Sheen – A
Jul 4, 5:50 PM eastbeach_ellie Wrack line Clean Trace <1% Balls Coin Hard None – A
Jul 3, 2:00 PM anon Dry sand Clean Trace <1% Balls Coin Firm – – B
Jul 2, 2:43 PM anon Rocks Clean Trace <1% Balls Coin Hard None – C
Jun 30, 6:41 PM UCSB COPR Lab ★ Dry sand Clean Trace <1% Balls Coin Firm Sheen – A
16-Day Forecast
SAT SEP 5
Sat, 9/5 Morning 2.8ft · waist-high 2.9ft @ 11.2s – sideshore Clear · 70.2°F 96%
Sat, 9/5 Evening 2.6ft · waist-high 2.8ft @ 11.4s – sideshore Clear · 74.5°F 96%
SUN SEP 6
Sun, 9/6 Morning 2.5ft · waist-high 3.2ft @ 10.9s – onshore Overcast · 73.5°F 93%
Sun, 9/6 Evening 2.5ft · waist-high 3.1ft @ 10.9s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 80.5°F 93%
MON SEP 7
Mon, 9/7 Morning 2.5ft · waist-high 3.4ft @ 9.8s – sideshore Clear · 82.2°F 91%
Mon, 9/7 Evening 2.4ft · waist-high 3.4ft @ 10s – sideshore Clear · 91.2°F 91%
TUE SEP 8
Tue, 9/8 Morning 2.1ft · waist-high 2.9ft @ 9.7s – sideshore Clear · 87.1°F 88%
Tue, 9/8 Evening 2.2ft · waist-high 2.8ft @ 9.5s – sideshore Overcast · 96.8°F 88%
WED SEP 9
Wed, 9/9 Morning 2.7ft · waist-high 2.4ft @ 8.8s – sideshore Overcast · 91.4°F 86%
Wed, 9/9 Evening 2.7ft · waist-high 2.3ft @ 9.1s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 101.6°F 86%
THU SEP 10
Thu, 9/10 Morning 3ft · chest-to-head 2.4ft @ 9s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 90°F 83%
Thu, 9/10 Evening 3.7ft · chest-to-head 3.2ft @ 7s – sideshore Clear · 100.5°F 83%
FRI SEP 11
Fri, 9/11 Morning 3.5ft · chest-to-head 3ft @ 7.3s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 87.8°F 81%
Fri, 9/11 Evening 4.1ft · chest-to-head 3.4ft @ 6.4s – sideshore Mostly cloudy · 98.3°F 81%
SAT SEP 12
Sat, 9/12 Morning 1.2ft · shin-to-knee 2.7ft @ 7.4s – sideshore Mostly cloudy · 81°F 78%
Sat, 9/12 Evening 1.5ft · shin-to-knee 3.1ft @ 6.7s – sideshore Clear · 93.8°F 78%
SUN SEP 13
Sun, 9/13 Morning 1.6ft · shin-to-knee 3.2ft @ 6s – sideshore Clear · 77.9°F 76%
Sun, 9/13 Evening 2.1ft · waist-high 3.8ft @ 5.4s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 91.5°F 76%
MON SEP 14
Mon, 9/14 Morning – · – – – Clear · 78.1°F 73%
Mon, 9/14 Evening – · – – – Mostly cloudy · 92.3°F 73%
TUE SEP 15
Tue, 9/15 Morning – · – – – Mostly cloudy · 78.1°F 71%
Tue, 9/15 Evening – · – – – Mostly cloudy · 90.2°F 71%
WED SEP 16
Wed, 9/16 Morning – · – – – Clear · 73.6°F 68%
Wed, 9/16 Evening – · – – – Clear · 86.2°F 68%
THU SEP 17
Thu, 9/17 Morning – · – – – Clear · 70.8°F 66%
Thu, 9/17 Evening – · – – – Clear · 84.5°F 66%
FRI SEP 18
Fri, 9/18 Morning – · – – – Clear · 72.7°F 63%
Fri, 9/18 Evening – · – – – Clear · 81.4°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 18.6 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-… 18.6 km —
Aug 11, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER DISCOVERED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 2.2 km —
Jul 12, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED A SHEEN OFFSHORE OF SUMMERLAND BEACH, POSSIBLY FROM A NATURAL SEEP. 18.3 km —
Jun 21, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTING AN UNKNOWN BROWN SHEEN IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. CALLER STATES THERE ARE SOME THICK PORTIONS. 18.2 km —
Jun 7, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTING AN UNKNOWN SHEEN NEARBY A PLATFORM. THE SHEEN IS RAINBOW AND ESTIMATED TO BE .25 MILES LONG. 10.4 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… 14.3 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. 17.5 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. 17.8 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. … 17.4 km —
Show older (18)
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… 13.1 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… 20.1 km —
Dec 24, 2025 IncidentNews Beached Sailboat on East Beach; Santa Barbara, California 11.1 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). 19.3 km —
Nov 11, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. 6.5 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… 18.8 km —
Sep 25, 2025 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. AN ESTIMATE OF THE SIZE WAS… 15.3 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… 13.3 km —
Aug 17, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER DISCOVERED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL. 8.1 km —
Jul 26, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. 7.6 km —
Jun 8, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER STATES DISCOVERING AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE CALLER STATES THE SHEEN WAS 1 TO 2NM LONG X 1NM … 6.7 km —
Feb 18, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER IS REPORTING A RELEASE OF CRUDE OIL INTO THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL FROM AN OIL RIG. THE CAUSE OF THE RELEASE IS UNKNOWN AT THIS T… 10.8 km —