San Elijo State Beach
2.9ft·beginner-intermediate
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
90
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
Checking rip currents…
Explore forecastValid Wed 4:00 PM America/Los_Angeles · Source updated Wed 8:51 AM · Computed Wed 12:21 PM · CDIP, NOAA NWS, NOAA COOPS, Open-Meteo, NOAA CO-OPS
Forecast accuracy & methodologyToday by time
Latest daily forecast · Wed, Nov 11 · America/Los_Angeles. Separate from the selected day above.
| Time | Surf | Quiver call | Swell | Wind | Tide | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:00 AM | 3.6 ft | — | 2.9 ft @ 16s W (0.9 ft @ 12s W) | 6 mph E | 4.3 ft · Falling | 99% |
| 4:00 AM | 3.4 ft | — | 2.8 ft @ 16s W (0.9 ft @ 12s W) | 7 mph E | 4.2 ft · Rising | 100% |
| 7:00 AM | 3.6 ft | — | 2.9 ft @ 15s W (1.2 ft @ 13s W) | 5 mph E | 6.5 ft · Rising | 100% |
| 10:00 AM | 3.6 ft | — | 2.9 ft @ 15s W (1.8 ft @ 13s SSW) | 6 mph WNW | 7 ft · Falling | 99% |
| 1:00 PM | 2.9 ft | — | 2.4 ft @ 10s W (1.8 ft @ 13s SSW) | 6 mph NW | 4 ft · Falling | 92% |
| 4:00 PM | 2.9 ft | Best window | 2.4 ft @ 10s W (1.8 ft @ 13s SSW) | 7 mph NW | 1.3 ft · Falling | 91% |
| 7:00 PM | 3.1 ft | — | 2.5 ft @ 10s W (1.9 ft @ 13s SSW) | 0 mph | 2.5 ft · Rising | 89% |
| 10:00 PM | 2.6 ft | — | 2.4 ft @ 10s W (1.2 ft @ 12s W) | 5 mph E | 4.6 ft · Rising | 88% |
Pipes works best on clean W to NW swells in the 3-7 foot range on a rising mid-tide (2.5-4 ft). The rising tide is key here—it fills in over the reef progressively, keeping the wave clean and workable as the session goes on. Light east-northeast offshores groom the face perfectly. The reef needs enough swell to break cleanly over the shelf; under 3 feet and the wave is weak and crumbly. Overhead-plus swells can overwhelm the reef and produce close-outs. The Goldilocks zone is 4-6 feet with 12+ second period on a rising tide.
Selected day: 2026-11-11 · America/Los_Angeles
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