San Diego County, California
Best window·Thursday 12PM–3PM·4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Point Loma, 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.
Tue, Jun 30: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 14s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the W and dropping conditions to fair.
Wed, Jul 1: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Fair - Good. Expect 3-4ft all day on WSW swell at 10s with barely a breath of wind — nothing amazing but surfable. Expect the wind to bump up to around 10mph by PM.
Thu, Jul 2: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Fair - Good. Expect 3-5ft all day on SW swell at 16s with light WNW winds — nothing amazing but surfable. Afternoon breeze fills in to 10mph.
Fri, Jul 3: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on W swell at 5s with light WNW winds. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor - fair by then.
Sat, Jul 4: 2–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2ft waves and poor - fair conditions with glassy conditions. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 11mph.
Point Loma (Ralph's) is San Diego's only true point break — a machine-like right-hander at the southern tip of the peninsula, accessible only by boat. The rock reef produces long, peeling walls on SW swells that wrap around the point. The boat-access requirement keeps crowds minimal, making this a prized local secret. Exposed rocks make it unsurfable at low tide.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Point Loma is 2-3ft with a 14.05s swell period. Wind is S at 5mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Point Loma is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.4ft SSW primary swell at 14s, a 1.2ft W secondary swell at 5s, a 0.9ft WNW tertiary swell at 10s. 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 Point Loma is Thursday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 4ft waves, a 15.45s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Point Loma works best with a SW swell and NW 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 Point Loma. 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.
Point Loma is a point with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Point Loma (Ralph's) is San Diego's only true point break — a machine-like right-hander at the southern tip of the peninsula, accessible only by boat. The rock reef produces long, peeling walls on SW swells that wrap around the point. The boat-access requirement keeps crowds minimal, making this a prized local secret. Exposed rocks make it unsurfable at low tide.
The prime season at Point Loma is winter, 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 Point Loma include boat access only, exposed rocks at low tide, rock reef bottom, strong currents around point. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Point Loma 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
