San Diego County, California
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Sunset Cliffs for the cleanest windows.
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.
Tue, Jun 30: 2–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on SSW swell at 14s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Wed, Jul 1: 2–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on WSW swell at 10s with light winds out of the WNW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor by then.
Thu, Jul 2: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on SW swell at 16s with gentle WNW breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on W swell at 5s with light WNW winds. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor by then.
Sat, Jul 4: 1–1ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1ft and poor conditions with glassy conditions. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 11mph.
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 2ft with a 14.05s swell period. Wind is SSW at 4mph and conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Sunset Cliffs is 2ft, 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 Sunset Cliffs is Tuesday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 2ft waves, a 14.05s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
