San Diego County, California
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 6s and gentle WSW breeze.
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 6s and gentle WSW breeze.
Best window·Sunday 8AM–11AM·5-7ft·Fair - Good
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 5s with light WSW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on SSW swell at 17s and gentle SSE breeze. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on S swell at 13s with light NNW winds. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and fair by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 6–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 6-7ft on S swell at 14s with light winds out of the NNW. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 5–7ft, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-6+ft waves on SSW swell at 13s with light NNW winds. 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.
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Check Windansea Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 2-3ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is WSW at 5mph. Conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Windansea Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.4ft WNW wind swell swell at 6s, a 2.1ft 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 Windansea Beach is Sunday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 6ft waves, a 13.8s 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. 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).
