San Diego County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at San Onofre, 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.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 13s with gentle S breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor with 2-3ft waves. Wind drops off and the surface cleans up — poor - fair by afternoon.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 8s with 8mph from the SE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with barely a breath of wind. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 10mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with calm winds. Expect the wind to bump up to around 10mph by PM.
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San Onofre (Old Man's) is one of the most famous longboarding waves in the world — a mellow cobblestone point break that rolls 200-400 yards offshore, perfect for learning and cruising. The vibe is inclusive and family-friendly: geezers rule, grommets learn. The decommissioned nuclear plant next door (shut down since 2013) adds a surreal backdrop, though spent fuel is still stored on-site.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at San Onofre is 2-3ft with a 15.3s swell period. Wind is S at 3mph 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 San Onofre is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 13s, a 1.2ft W secondary swell at 10s, a 1ft S 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 San Onofre is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 12.75s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
San Onofre works best with a SW 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 San Onofre. 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.
San Onofre is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to beginner surfers. San Onofre (Old Man's) is one of the most famous longboarding waves in the world — a mellow cobblestone point break that rolls 200-400 yards offshore, perfect for learning and cruising. The vibe is inclusive and family-friendly: geezers rule, grommets learn. The decommissioned nuclear plant next door (shut down since 2013) adds a surreal backdrop, though spent fuel is still stored on-site.
The prime season at San Onofre is summer, 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 San Onofre include cobblestones exposed at low tide, crowds, long paddle out, decommissioned nuclear facility adjacent. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our San Onofre 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
