San Diego County, California
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 5s with gentle WNW breeze.
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 5s with gentle WNW breeze.
Best window·Sunday 1PM–4PM·3-4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Sunset Cliffs, 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: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 5s with light winds out of the WNW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 17s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 13mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on S swell at 13s with moderate NNW wind around 8mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on S swell at 14s with moderate NNW wind around 8mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on SSW swell at 13s and moderate NNW wind around 9mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
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 Sunset Cliffs turns Good.
Check Sunset Cliffs from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Sunset Cliffs is a collection of exposed reef breaks scattered along Point Loma's dramatic sandstone cliff face, including named breaks like Ab's Reef, Pescadero, and Luscomb's. Access requires navigating cliff trails and long paddle-outs through kelp. The west-facing exposure picks up W and NW winter swells directly, and the thick offshore kelp bed naturally smooths wind chop. Low tide produces faster, hollower, more demanding waves.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Sunset Cliffs is 1-2ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is W at 7mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Sunset Cliffs is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.5ft WNW wind swell swell at 6s, a 2ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, 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 Sunset Cliffs is Sunday from 1 PM to 4 PM with 3ft waves, a 13.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Sunset Cliffs 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 Sunset Cliffs. 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.
Sunset Cliffs is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Sunset Cliffs is a collection of exposed reef breaks scattered along Point Loma's dramatic sandstone cliff face, including named breaks like Ab's Reef, Pescadero, and Luscomb's. Access requires navigating cliff trails and long paddle-outs through kelp. The west-facing exposure picks up W and NW winter swells directly, and the thick offshore kelp bed naturally smooths wind chop. Low tide produces faster, hollower, more demanding waves.
The prime season at Sunset Cliffs 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 Sunset Cliffs include sharp limestone reef with urchins, cliff access — eroding sandstone, long paddle-outs through kelp, rocks at entry/exit, isolated breaks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Sunset Cliffs 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).
