San Elijo State Beach
2.1ft·beginner-intermediate
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
89
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
Checking rip currents…
Explore forecastValid Sun 6:20 PM America/Los_Angeles · Computed Sun 4:43 AM
Forecast accuracy & methodologyToday by time
Latest daily forecast · Sun, Sep 27 · America/Los_Angeles. Separate from the selected day above.
| Time | Surf | Quiver callSign in | Swell | Wind | Tide | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00 AM | 3.3 ft | — | 3.4 ft @ 11s SSW (1.4 ft @ 6s WNW) | 1 mph SE | 1.5 ft · Falling | 95% |
| 5:00 AM | 3.3 ft | — | 3.4 ft @ 11s SSW (1.4 ft @ 6s WNW) | 2 mph NNE | 2.5 ft · Rising | 94% |
| 8:00 AM | 3.2 ft | — | 3.3 ft @ 11s SSW (1.4 ft @ 6s WNW) | 2 mph NE | 5 ft · Rising | 92% |
| 11:00 AM | 3.2 ft | — | 3.3 ft @ 11s SSW (1.3 ft @ 7s WNW) | 5 mph W | 3.9 ft · Falling | 91% |
| 2:00 PM | 3.1 ft | — | 3.2 ft @ 11s SSW (1.3 ft @ 7s WNW) | 5 mph W | 1.1 ft · Falling | 89% |
| 5:00 PM | 3.1 ft | — | 3.1 ft @ 11s SSW (1.2 ft @ 6s WNW) | 5 mph W | 1.7 ft · Rising | 88% |
| 8:00 PM | 3 ft | — | 3 ft @ 10s SSW (0.9 ft @ 14s SW) | 5 mph W | 4 ft · Rising | 86% |
| 11:00 PM | 2.8 ft | — | 2.9 ft @ 10s SSW (0.7 ft @ 18s SW) | 5 mph NW | 3.5 ft · Falling | 85% |
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: 2026-09-27 · America/Los_Angeles
