San Diego County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Windansea 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: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 10s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on W swell at 9s with 10mph SSE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on W swell at 8s with 8mph from the SSE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WSW swell at 7s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on S swell at 13s with light winds out of the NW. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and poor by then.
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Windansea is one of California's most iconic and historically significant surf spots — a shallow rock reef break in La Jolla producing a long peeling right and a short barreling left. The famous palm-frond surf shack on the beach is a California Historical Landmark. The Windansea Surf Club has a storied reputation for territorial localism dating back decades. Beginners should stay away — the powerful shorebreak hurls riders into shallow rock.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Windansea Beach is 4-5ft with a 14.65s swell period. Wind is S at 5mph and conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Windansea Beach is 4-5ft, 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 Windansea Beach is Saturday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 4ft waves, a 14.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Windansea 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 Windansea 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.
Windansea Beach is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Windansea is one of California's most iconic and historically significant surf spots — a shallow rock reef break in La Jolla producing a long peeling right and a short barreling left. The famous palm-frond surf shack on the beach is a California Historical Landmark. The Windansea Surf Club has a storied reputation for territorial localism dating back decades. Beginners should stay away — the powerful shorebreak hurls riders into shallow rock.
The prime season at Windansea 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 Windansea Beach include shallow sharp rock reef, extreme localism, powerful shorebreak, sea urchins, heavy crowds. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Windansea 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.
