San Diego County, California
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach for the cleanest windows.
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.
Wed, Jun 24: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 14s with glassy conditions. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, Jun 25: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 16s with light NW winds. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 8mph and poor by then.
Fri, Jun 26: 2–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on SSW swell at 14s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Jun 27: 2–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on W swell at 5s with gentle SSW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor.
Sun, Jun 28: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SW swell at 13s with gentle SW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor.
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 2ft with a 16.85s swell period. Wind is WNW at 7mph 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 Torrey Pines/Blacks Beach is 2ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 14s, a 1.5ft SSW secondary swell at 17s, a 0.8ft W wind swell swell at 4s. 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 Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 15.85s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
