San Diego County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach, 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. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 10s with barely a breath of wind. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor - fair by then.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on W swell at 9s with 10mph from the SSE. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 8s and moderate SSE wind around 8mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with glassy conditions. Afternoon breeze fills in to 10mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with light NW winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 9mph.
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Blacks Beach is one of the heaviest beach breaks in Southern California, where underwater Scripps Canyon and La Jolla Canyon funnel swell energy directly into the break, amplifying wave size 1.5-2x larger than surrounding beaches. Three defined peaks produce dredging barrels — South Peak's left, Middle Peak's A-frames, and North Peak's deep right. The steep 300-foot cliff descent is the only access. Not for beginners under any circumstances.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach is 2-3ft with a 14.65s swell period. Wind is S at 4mph 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 Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.8ft W primary swell at 10s, a 1.4ft SSW secondary swell at 15s, a 1.2ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s. 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 Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 12.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach 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 Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach. 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.
Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Blacks Beach is one of the heaviest beach breaks in Southern California, where underwater Scripps Canyon and La Jolla Canyon funnel swell energy directly into the break, amplifying wave size 1.5-2x larger than surrounding beaches. Three defined peaks produce dredging barrels — South Peak's left, Middle Peak's A-frames, and North Peak's deep right. The steep 300-foot cliff descent is the only access. Not for beginners under any circumstances.
The prime season at Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach 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 Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach include heavy powerful waves, strong currents from canyon, steep cliff access (300+ feet), aggressive competitive lineup, no easy exit. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach 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.
