San Diego County, California
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light WSW winds.
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light WSW winds.
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at North Del Mar, San Diego County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s with gentle WSW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the W and dropping conditions to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 18s with light winds out of the E. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on S swell at 13s with gentle N breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 14s with light NNW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on SSW swell at 13s with gentle NNW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when North Del Mar turns Good.
Check North Del Mar from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
North Del Mar is a mellow beach break that works well for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to escape the heavier crowds found elsewhere in San Diego County. The sandy beach face picks up south swells effectively while the easterly offshore winds during mornings provide clean, peeling waves across a wide stretch of coastline. With easy paddling access and forgiving wave shape, this northern section of Del Mar offers a relaxed vibe perfect for progression.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at North Del Mar is 1-2ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is WSW at 3mph. Conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at North Del Mar is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.5ft W wind swell swell at 6s, a 2.2ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, a 1.3ft SW tertiary swell at 16s. 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 North Del Mar is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 12.6s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
North Del Mar works best with a S swell and E 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 North Del Mar. 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.
North Del Mar is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. North Del Mar is a mellow beach break that works well for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to escape the heavier crowds found elsewhere in San Diego County. The sandy beach face picks up south swells effectively while the easterly offshore winds during mornings provide clean, peeling waves across a wide stretch of coastline. With easy paddling access and forgiving wave shape, this northern section of Del Mar offers a relaxed vibe perfect for progression.
The prime season at North Del Mar 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 North Del Mar include rip currents, strong shore break during high swell. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our North Del Mar 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
