Advisory: elevated tar reported at this beach. Source unconfirmed — see The Tar Story for the seeps-vs-infrastructure question.
West Beach
TAR/OIL 3.8/10 0 reports today · last 3 days ago Tar/Oil scores 0–10 · 10 clean
3.8 Sand
2.2 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
sideshore · E
Tide ft MLLW
now 2.0 ft rising · next H 5.1 · 4:27 PM
Temps
64.6°F Water
61.1°F Air
Tar/Oil Conditions
TAR/OIL SCORE (0-10 · 10 = clean) · 7 DAYSHow scoring works →now 3.8
Surf
Offshore Buoy — West Santa Barbara46054 · obs + forecast · NDBC / wave model
no data
Swell direction · every 6h
–
Sat 2 AM–
–
–
–
Sun 2 AM–
–
–
–
Mon 2 AM–
–
–
–
Tue 2 AM–
–
–
–
Wed 2 AM–
–
–
–
Thu 2 AM–
–
–
–
Fri 2 AM–
–
–
–
Sat 2 AM–
–
Sun 2 AM–
–
Mon 2 AM–
–
Tue 2 AM–
–
Wed 2 AM–
–
Thu 2 AM–
–
Fri 2 AM–
–
Sat 2 AMLoading swell x tar…
more in Research →Weather
Weather
61.1°Fsunny3.3 ktUV 0Sunrise 6:34 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 6:34 AMSunset 7:19 PMMoonrise 12:16 AMMoonset 3:43 PM🌘 Waning Crescent
Live Observations
Jul 18, 11:53 AM anon Rocks Clean Sporadic 1-10% Greasy coat – – None – C
Jul 18, 10:34 AM SB Channelkeeper Volunteers ★ Rocks Black line Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Sticky Sheen, Tar balls – A
Jul 18, 10:11 AM anon Dry sand Sheen Sporadic 1-10% Greasy coat – Liquid – – B
Jul 17, 5:11 PM anon Waterline Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Sticky Sheen – B
Jul 17, 4:30 PM oildrop_watch Waterline Black line Sporadic 1-10% Greasy coat – Liquid – – B
Jul 17, 12:50 PM anon Waterline Clean Sporadic 1-10% Greasy coat – Liquid None – C
Jul 16, 6:02 PM rincon_rider Wrack line Sheen Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – Sticky – – C
Jul 16, 5:13 PM goleta_greg Wrack line Sheen Trace <1% Greasy coat – Liquid Tar balls – A
Jul 16, 10:07 AM anon Waterline Clean Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – – Sheen – C
Jul 16, 7:37 AM UCSB COPR Lab ★ Waterline Black line Broken-continuous >50% Pavement – – Sheen, Odor – A
Jul 15, 3:32 PM anon Dry sand Clean Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Hard – – C
Jul 15, 2:20 PM anon Dry sand Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – – None – A
Jul 15, 6:56 AM UCSB COPR Lab ★ Rocks Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Sticky Sheen – A
Jul 13, 3:50 PM anon Wrack line Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Sticky None – C
Jul 13, 11:27 AM SB Channelkeeper Volunteers ★ Waterline Black line Trace <1% Greasy coat – Liquid Sheen, Tar balls – A
Jul 13, 7:16 AM anon Dry sand Sheen Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – – Tar balls – B
Jul 12, 12:26 PM anon Waterline Black line Broken-continuous >50% Greasy coat – Hard None – A
Jul 12, 9:17 AM sandsbeach_sam Dry sand Black line Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – – Tar balls – C
Jul 12, 8:19 AM anon Wrack line Black line Patchy 11-50% Greasy coat – – Sheen – C
Jul 12, 8:05 AM anon Wrack line Clean Broken-continuous >50% Film – – – – C
16-Day Forecast
SAT SEP 5
Sat, 9/5 Morning 3.7ft · chest-to-head 2.8ft @ 11.1s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 69.6°F 96%
Sat, 9/5 Evening 3.6ft · chest-to-head 2.6ft @ 11.2s – sideshore Clear · 74.7°F 96%
SUN SEP 6
Sun, 9/6 Morning 3.2ft · chest-to-head 3ft @ 10.8s – onshore Overcast · 74.2°F 93%
Sun, 9/6 Evening 2.9ft · waist-high 2.8ft @ 10.7s – sideshore Overcast · 77.3°F 93%
MON SEP 7
Mon, 9/7 Morning 2.3ft · waist-high 3.2ft @ 9.7s – sideshore Clear · 76.7°F 91%
Mon, 9/7 Evening 2.1ft · waist-high 3.1ft @ 9.8s – sideshore Clear · 81.4°F 91%
TUE SEP 8
Tue, 9/8 Morning 1.7ft · shin-to-knee 2.6ft @ 9.6s – sideshore Overcast · 80°F 88%
Tue, 9/8 Evening 1.9ft · shin-to-knee 2.5ft @ 9.3s – sideshore Mostly cloudy · 85.6°F 88%
WED SEP 9
Wed, 9/9 Morning 1.6ft · shin-to-knee 2.2ft @ 8.7s – sideshore Overcast · 81.4°F 86%
Wed, 9/9 Evening 1.9ft · shin-to-knee 2.1ft @ 8.9s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 87.9°F 86%
THU SEP 10
Thu, 9/10 Morning 1.8ft · shin-to-knee 2.2ft @ 8.9s – sideshore Clear · 78.7°F 83%
Thu, 9/10 Evening 2.7ft · waist-high 3ft @ 6.8s – sideshore Clear · 85.2°F 83%
FRI SEP 11
Fri, 9/11 Morning 2.1ft · waist-high 2.8ft @ 7.1s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 77.9°F 81%
Fri, 9/11 Evening 1.5ft · shin-to-knee 3.3ft @ 6.2s – sideshore Overcast · 87.7°F 81%
SAT SEP 12
Sat, 9/12 Morning 0.9ft · ankle-high 2.4ft @ 7.3s – sideshore Partly cloudy · 75.5°F 78%
Sat, 9/12 Evening 1.2ft · shin-to-knee 2.8ft @ 6.7s – sideshore Clear · 87.5°F 78%
SUN SEP 13
Sun, 9/13 Morning 1.3ft · shin-to-knee 3ft @ 6s – sideshore Clear · 75.1°F 76%
Sun, 9/13 Evening 1.8ft · shin-to-knee 3.5ft @ 5.4s – 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
Photo Gallery
Loading photos…
Nearby Incident Reports
Aug 13, 2026 IncidentNews Pollution Surveillance Report off Santa Barbara; Montecito, California 10.6 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-… 10.6 km —
Aug 11, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER DISCOVERED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 11.8 km —
Jul 12, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED A SHEEN OFFSHORE OF SUMMERLAND BEACH, POSSIBLY FROM A NATURAL SEEP. 8.6 km —
Jun 23, 2026 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER IS REPORTING A MYSTERY SHEEN IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN
16.2 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. 19.7 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… 4.5 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. 8.2 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. 10 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. … 7.7 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… 3.4 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… 11.7 km —
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). 11.1 km —
Nov 11, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. 14.4 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… 9 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… 24.5 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… 3.6 km —
Aug 17, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: THE CALLER DISCOVERED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL. 16.9 km —
Jul 26, 2025 NRC raw raw report — unverified: CALLER REPORTED AN UNKNOWN SHEEN FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. 14.7 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 … 14.1 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… 20.2 km —