San Diego County, California
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 11s with gentle SSW breeze.
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 11s with gentle SSW breeze.
Best window·Sunday 11AM–2PM·5-6ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Oceanside Harbor, 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, 11s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 11s and light SSW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the W and dropping conditions to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on SSW swell at 18s and gentle ENE breeze. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on S swell at 13s with gentle NNE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to fair.
Sun, Sep 6: 5–6ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 5-6ft 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 Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on SSW swell at 13s with light winds out of the NW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and very poor by then.
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 Oceanside Harbor turns Good.
Check Oceanside Harbor from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Oceanside Harbor offers a sheltered beach break protected by the harbor jetties, making it an ideal spot for beginners looking to escape larger ocean swells. The sandy bottom provides forgiving conditions with consistent peaks that work best during fall and winter swell season. The jetty setup creates a natural funnel for southwest swells.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Oceanside Harbor is 2-3ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is SW at 5mph. 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 Oceanside Harbor is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.2ft W wind swell swell at 6s, a 2.2ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, a 1.2ft SSW 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 Oceanside Harbor is Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 5ft waves, a 13.9s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Oceanside Harbor works best with a SW 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 Oceanside Harbor. 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.
Oceanside Harbor is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Oceanside Harbor offers a sheltered beach break protected by the harbor jetties, making it an ideal spot for beginners looking to escape larger ocean swells. The sandy bottom provides forgiving conditions with consistent peaks that work best during fall and winter swell season. The jetty setup creates a natural funnel for southwest swells.
The prime season at Oceanside Harbor 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 Oceanside Harbor include pier pilings, harbor traffic, jetty currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Oceanside Harbor 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).
