San Diego County, California
Best window·Thursday 6AM–9AM·4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ocean 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.
Wed, Jun 24: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-5ft on SSW swell at 14s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 4mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Thu, Jun 25: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 16s with gentle WNW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 14s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sat, Jun 27: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on W swell at 6s with gentle SW breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, Jun 28: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 6s with gentle WSW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Ocean Beach is a long, sandy stretch in San Diego that offers consistent, mellow waves perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers learning to dial in their technique. The beach break produces forgiving, rolling peaks across a wide lineup, with multiple peaks allowing the crowd to spread out despite its popularity. This iconic local favorite provides predictable conditions and a vibrant beach culture that makes it an essential San Diego experience.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ocean beach is 3-4ft with a 16.6s swell period. Wind is WNW at 8mph 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 Ocean beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 1.8ft SSW primary swell at 17s, a 1.6ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 1ft WNW wind swell swell at 2s. 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 Ocean beach is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 15.65s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ocean beach works best with a SSW 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 Ocean 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.
Ocean beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Ocean Beach is a long, sandy stretch in San Diego that offers consistent, mellow waves perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers learning to dial in their technique. The beach break produces forgiving, rolling peaks across a wide lineup, with multiple peaks allowing the crowd to spread out despite its popularity. This iconic local favorite provides predictable conditions and a vibrant beach culture that makes it an essential San Diego experience.
The prime season at Ocean beach is fall, 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 Ocean beach include heavy crowds, localism, rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ocean 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
