San Diego County, California
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 6s with light winds out of the WNW.
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 6s with light winds out of the WNW.
Best window·Saturday 9AM–12PM·3-4ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ocean beach, 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: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 5s with gentle WNW breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3+ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on SSW swell at 17s with light ESE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with moderate NW wind around 8mph. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on S swell at 14s with moderate NNW wind around 8mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 13s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 13s and 9mph from the NNW. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Ocean beach turns Good.
Check Ocean beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Ocean Beach is a long, sandy stretch in San Diego that offers consistent, mellow waves perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers learning to dial in their technique. The beach break produces forgiving, rolling peaks across a wide lineup, with multiple peaks allowing the crowd to spread out despite its popularity. This iconic local favorite provides predictable conditions and a vibrant beach culture that makes it an essential San Diego experience.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ocean beach is 1-2ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is W at 7mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Ocean beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.4ft WNW wind swell swell at 6s, a 2.1ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, a 1.2ft 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 Ocean beach is Saturday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 3ft waves, a 12.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ocean beach works best with a SSW swell and NE 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 Ocean beach. 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.
Ocean beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Ocean Beach is a long, sandy stretch in San Diego that offers consistent, mellow waves perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers learning to dial in their technique. The beach break produces forgiving, rolling peaks across a wide lineup, with multiple peaks allowing the crowd to spread out despite its popularity. This iconic local favorite provides predictable conditions and a vibrant beach culture that makes it an essential San Diego experience.
The prime season at Ocean beach 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 Ocean beach include heavy crowds, localism, rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ocean beach 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).
