San Diego County, California
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 5s and light W winds.
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 5s and light W winds.
Best window·Sunday 8AM–11AM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Pacific 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 Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 5s with gentle W breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 17s with gentle ESE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on S swell at 13s with 8mph NNW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 14s with 8mph from the NNW. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4+ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4+ft on SSW swell at 13s with 9mph from the NNW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
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 Pacific Beach turns Good.
Check Pacific Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Pacific Beach is a classic Southern California beach break with a long, sandy bottom that produces forgiving, user-friendly waves perfect for learning and progression. The spot's east-facing exposure captures west and northwest swells effectively, with the sandy substrate creating peeling walls that work across a wide range of conditions. As one of San Diego's most accessible and popular beaches, it offers consistent waves year-round but sees its best shape during fall when Pacific swells arrive with better shape and organization.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Pacific Beach is 1-2ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is W at 5mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Pacific Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.4ft WNW wind swell swell at 6s, a 2.1ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, 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 Pacific Beach is Sunday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 4ft waves, a 13.8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Pacific Beach works best with a W 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 Pacific 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.
Pacific Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Pacific Beach is a classic Southern California beach break with a long, sandy bottom that produces forgiving, user-friendly waves perfect for learning and progression. The spot's east-facing exposure captures west and northwest swells effectively, with the sandy substrate creating peeling walls that work across a wide range of conditions. As one of San Diego's most accessible and popular beaches, it offers consistent waves year-round but sees its best shape during fall when Pacific swells arrive with better shape and organization.
The prime season at Pacific 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 Pacific Beach include heavy crowds, localism, swimmers and beachgoers, rip currents during larger swells. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Pacific 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).
