New Break (Nubes) Current Conditions Summary
New Break (Nubes) in San Diego, CA is a beach break. Current conditions: 1.5 ft waves, w 7–12 mph (cross-shore), falling → low. Size is there, but cross-shore wind affects quality. New Break (Nubes) is a beach break in San Diego, CA. A forgiving beach break compared to the heavy reef slabs nearby. The 245-degree aspect catches west and southwest swells, and the sandy bottom produces shifting peaks that break both left and right. Waves are generally more playful and less critical than the main Sunset Cliffs setups—ideal for working on turns rather than survival surfing. On solid SW swells, a defined left develops along the south end of the break. The wave has more push than it looks from the cliff—don't underestimate the paddle out through the shorebreak. Forecasts are updated every 3 hours using ML-corrected NOAA models with live buoy data from CDIP, NDBC, and IOOS stations.
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Optimal Surf Conditions for New Break (Nubes)
NNW–ESE
WNW–NNE
2–4 ft, falling
January, February, March, October, November, and December
New Break works best on clean west-southwest swells in the 3-6 foot range with light offshore winds from the east-northeast. A mid-to-high tide (4-5 ft) smooths out the inside section and keeps the waves from dumping on the sand. This spot particularly shines on combo swells where SW energy wraps in while NW swell is fading—you get clean, organized peaks without the heavy close-outs. Avoid big NW storm swells, which wash through the break without much shape.
A forgiving beach break compared to the heavy reef slabs nearby. The 245-degree aspect catches west and southwest swells, and the sandy bottom produces shifting peaks that break both left and right. Waves are generally more playful and less critical than the main Sunset Cliffs setups—ideal for working on turns rather than survival surfing. On solid SW swells, a defined left develops along the south end of the break. The wave has more push than it looks from the cliff—don't underestimate the paddle out through the shorebreak.
New Break (Nubes) is the mellower, more approachable section of Sunset Cliffs, which makes it a magnet for intermediate surfers and Point Loma locals. The crowd is noticeably friendlier than the main Sunset Cliffs reef breaks to the north, but it still fills up quickly on clean swells. Students from Point Loma Nazarene University paddle out regularly. Early mornings and late afternoons on weekdays are your least crowded sessions. On weekend south swells, expect 20+ surfers in the water.
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