Tide conditions for San Onofre surf spots
San Onofre, California
Updated Refreshed hourly · Tide data refreshes every 30 minutes from NOAA stations.
A foot of tide swing can shut down one break and light up another in San Onofre. These 7 spots all respond differently - some need the low to expose the bar, others clean up on a rising mid.
Current Tide
Next Low
03:00 PM
0 ft
NOAA tide data via Cached Tide Data
Tide Chart
7-Day Tide Schedule
| Day | High 1 | Low 1 | High 2 | Low 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 8:00 AM(5.1ft) | 3:00 PM(-0.0ft) | 9:00 PM(4.7ft) | -- |
| Tomorrow | 9:00 AM(4.7ft) | 3:00 AM(0.5ft) | 9:00 PM(5.0ft) | 3:00 PM(-0.2ft) |
| Wed, Apr 1 | 10:00 PM(4.9ft) | -- | -- | -- |
| Thu, Apr 2 | 10:00 AM(4.3ft) | 4:00 AM(-0.1ft) | 10:00 PM(5.2ft) | 4:00 PM(0.8ft) |
| Fri, Apr 3 | 11:00 AM(3.7ft) | -- | -- | -- |
| Sat, Apr 4 | 11:00 PM(4.8ft) | 5:00 AM(-0.0ft) | -- | -- |
| Sun, Apr 5 | -- | 5:00 PM(1.9ft) | -- | -- |
Today
Tomorrow
Wed, Apr 1
Thu, Apr 2
Fri, Apr 3
Sat, Apr 4
Sun, Apr 5
Beach Tide Preferences
Each beach performs best at a specific tide range and direction. Plan your session around these windows.
Top spot recommendations
Sort your quiver, choose the right tide window, and jot down a backup in case the main peak gets stacked.
Featured Beaches
7 spots
Church
Beginner friendlyChurch is a beach break in San Onofre, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.
Cottons
IntermediateCottons is a point break in San Onofre, CA. It is best suited for intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, sea urchins, pollution.
Lower Trestles
IntermediateLower Trestles stands as California's proving ground for progressive surfing, rated 9/10 for wave quality.
Middles
Beginner friendlyMiddles is a beach break in San Onofre, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.
San Onofre State Beach
Beginner friendlySan Onofre State Beach represents California's surf culture birthplace, the "Waikiki of California" with gentle longboard waves rated 6/10 for consistency but 4/10 for performance.
Trails
Beginner friendlyTrails is a beach break in San Onofre, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.
Upper Trestles
IntermediateUpper Trestles offers high-performance cobblestone rights, rated 8/10, working best on west to northwest swells (240-315°, center 280°).
Loading map...
What to focus on today
- Annotated tide windows tied to specific breaks
- How lunar cycles reshape sandbars through the season
- Safety notes for rip-prone outbound tides
- Session planning tips for dawn patrol versus sunset
Frequently Asked Questions
About surfing in San Onofre
- Tide preferences vary by spot in San Onofre. Generally, incoming mid-tides work well for most beaches, offering a good balance of wave shape and power. Check individual spot guides for specific tide recommendations.
- Tides significantly impact surf conditions in San Onofre. Low tide can expose reefs and sandbars creating hollow waves, while high tide often creates softer, more forgiving waves. Mid-tide transitions typically offer the most consistent conditions.
- You can check tide charts for San Onofre on Quiver's surf forecast pages, NOAA tide predictions, or various surf forecast apps. Quiver provides real-time tide information integrated with surf conditions for accurate session planning.
See today's conditions at your beach
Free surf reports. Session tracking. Your forecast gets sharper the more you surf.
Free. No paywall. No catch.