San Diego County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Birdrock, 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.
Sun, May 10: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Hold off if you can — morning starts out fair with 3-4ft waves. Things come together by the afternoon with 3-4ft at poor - fair.
Mon, May 11: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Steady 3-4ft waves on offer on SSW swell at 16s — light winds out of the WNW. Afternoon breeze fills in to 7mph.
Tue, May 12: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 15s with gentle WSW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 13: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 14s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Thu, May 14: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 13s and gentle W breeze. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor - fair by then.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Birdrock is a collection of reef breaks between Pacific Beach and Windansea in La Jolla that only start working at overhead-plus size, requiring a significant paddle to reach. South Bird Rock and North Bird Rock are the main breaks. North Bird can hold shape on the very largest swells — the bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. The kelp bed outside provides natural wind protection.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Birdrock is 3-4ft with a 17.65s swell period. Wind is W at 8mph 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 Birdrock is 3-4ft, produced by a 1.5ft W primary swell at 6s, a 1.5ft SSW secondary swell at 18s, a 0.7ft S tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Birdrock is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 16.45s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Birdrock works best with a SW swell and NE 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 Birdrock. 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.
Birdrock is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Birdrock is a collection of reef breaks between Pacific Beach and Windansea in La Jolla that only start working at overhead-plus size, requiring a significant paddle to reach. South Bird Rock and North Bird Rock are the main breaks. North Bird can hold shape on the very largest swells — the bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. The kelp bed outside provides natural wind protection.
The prime season at Birdrock 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 Birdrock include flat rock reef with urchins, long paddle out, needs overhead+ swell, some localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Birdrock 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.
