Swell Intel

San Onofre Surf Forecast, San Diego County, California

San Diego County, California

Church1-2ftTrestles1-2ftUpper Trestles1-2ft
San Onofre surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
1-2ft
ankle to knee high
Swell Period
11.3s
Wind
5mph
W / Gusts 6mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Primary
1.0ft @ 11sS
Secondary
0.6ft @ 15sSSW
Tertiary
0.5ft @ 3sS

Nearest Webcam

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 311-2ft
Poor

Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with light winds out of the S.

6am9am12pm3pm
12s SSW|6mph S
Wed, Apr 11-2ft
Poor

Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with light winds out of the SW.

6am9am12pm3pm
10s S|5-7mph NNW
Thu, Apr 21-2ft
Poor

Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with gentle N breeze.

6am9am12pm3pm
4s W|5-7mph WNW
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Sat
4ft
Swell building Fri, Apr 3Fair

7s period — conditions are improving beyond your forecast

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Forecast Charts

San Onofre Surf Spot Guide

Break
Point
Bottom
Cobblestone
Level
Beginner
Crowd
Heavy
Best Swell
SW
Best Wind
E
Season
Summer

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.

Cobblestones exposed at low tideCrowdsLong paddle outDecommissioned nuclear facility adjacent

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

San Onofre Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for San Onofre?
The current wave height at San Onofre is 1-2ft with a 11.3s swell period. Wind is W at 5mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
How accurate is the San Onofre surf forecast?
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.
What is the breaking wave height at San Onofre?
The current breaking wave height at San Onofre is 1-2ft, produced by a 1ft S primary swell at 11s, a 0.6ft SSW secondary swell at 15s, a 0.5ft S tertiary swell at 3s. 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.
When is the best time to surf San Onofre?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf San Onofre is Thursday from 3 PM to 6 PM with 4ft waves, a 14.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.