Water temperature in San Diego

San Diego, California

Water temperatures refreshed hourly from NOAA buoys and forecast models.

Pack the right rubber and you'll extend your sessions in San Diego by an hour. Temps swing from upwelling lows to summer peaks, and the difference between a 3/2 and a 4/3 day can come overnight.

69°F7° this week
Spring suit (2mm)

A spring suit or shorty wetsuit is ideal

7-Day Temperature Trend

Data from Avalanche · Updated hourly

Beach Water Temperatures

Current water temperatures at each surf spot. Temperatures can vary based on local conditions, currents, and depth.

Surf spots in San Diego

Loading map...

Featured Beaches(23)

Avalanche

Advanced

Avalanche is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Big Jetty

Advanced

Big Jetty is a jetty break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Blacks

Advanced

Blacks Beach represents San Diego County's best beach break and California premier beach break overall, rated 9/10.

Coronado North Jetty

Advanced

Coronado North Jetty is a jetty break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Crystal Pier

Advanced

Crystal Pier is a jetty break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Hotel Del Coronado

Beginner friendly

Hotel Del Coronado is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Marine Street Beach

Beginner friendly

Marine Street Beach is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Mission Beach

Intermediate

Mission Beach serves as central San Diego surfing bellwether rated 6/10. Nearly 2-mile stretch from South Mission Jetty to Pacific Beach offers year-round beachbreak.

Mission Beach (Central)

Beginner friendly

Beachbreak at South Mission with a jetty that creates wedging waves. Big parking lot fills with volleyball crowds mid-day. Mid tide steadies the wave shape. Onshores wreck afternoons so go early for best conditions. The jetty rip runs hard on overhead pulses - keep eyes on the current.

New Break (Nubes)

Beginner friendly

New Break (Nubes) is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Ocean Beach

Advanced

Ocean Beach delivers San Diego's most consistent surf rated 8/10 but most dangerous beach. Receives all swell directions 200-310° (center 270°) with east offshore winds (90°).

Ocean Beach Pier

Advanced

Powerful beachbreak near the OB Pier with shifting sandbars that can handle serious size. The pier creates banks that often produce the best waves in the area. Morning offshore winds during Santa Ana conditions make for epic sessions. Be mindful of the jetty and pier - both create strong rips when the swell is up.

Osprey Point

Intermediate

Osprey Point is a point break in San Diego, CA. It is best suited for intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, sea urchins, pollution.

Pacific Beach

Beginner friendly

Pacific Beach (Crystal Pier) offers multiple peaks rated 5/10—always something but rarely truly good.

PB Point

Intermediate

PB Point is a point break in San Diego, CA. It is best suited for intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, sea urchins, pollution.

Silver Strand State Beach

Beginner friendly

Silver Strand State Beach (Coronado) offers beginner-friendly gentle waves rated 4/10 for inconsistency.

Sunset Cliffs – Garbage

Intermediate to expert

Garbage at Sunset Cliffs is an exposed reef with left and right peaks. It lights up during winter west and northwest swells and is best surfed at low to mid tide. Access involves scrambling down a cliff to a rocky beach; the wave is powerful with strong currents and is better for experienced surfers.

Sunset Cliffs – Luscombs

Advanced

Luscombs Point is a left-handing reef at Sunset Cliffs that produces long, powerful walls during west swells. Access is via a fenced point where surfers climb down the rocks and jump off a ledge; timing your entry with the incoming waves is critical. The wave is fast and shallow, so it's suited to advanced surfers.

Sunset Cliffs North (Garbage)

Advanced

Sunset Cliffs features multiple reef breaks along Point Loma rated 7/10 with numerous named spots (Luscomb's Point, Garbage Beach, New Break, Abs, Osprey).

Tijuana Sloughs

Intermediate to expert

Tijuana Sloughs represents legendary big-wave spot rated 5/10 for consistency but major pollution issues.

Torrey Pines State Beach

Beginner friendly

Torrey Pines State Beach is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Tourmaline

Beginner friendly

Tourmaline (Old Man's) provides exceptional longboarding and best beginner spot in San Diego, rated 6/10.

Tourmaline Surf Park

Beginner friendly

Longboard and fish heaven with soft, rolling waves and cruisey shoulders. Best on mid to high tide with small W/NW or combo swells. The parking lot fills late morning but has decent turnover. Gentle vibe overall, though watch for drifting learners. Perfect spot for a mellow session on a small day.

Spot guide for San Diego

Break types, ratings, and local tips for each beach.

Avalanche
beach
intermediate-advanced
3.0(1)

Avalanche is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Big Jetty
jetty
intermediate-advanced
3.3(3)

Big Jetty is a jetty break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Blacks
beach
advanced
3.6(19)

**Blacks Beach** represents San Diego County's best beach break and California premier beach break overall, rated 9/10.

Coronado North Jetty
jetty
intermediate-advanced

Coronado North Jetty is a jetty break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Crystal Pier
jetty
intermediate-advanced
3.8(4)

Crystal Pier is a jetty break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for intermediate-advanced surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, strong currents, pollution.

Hotel Del Coronado
beach
beginner-intermediate
4.7(3)

Hotel Del Coronado is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Marine Street Beach
beach
beginner-intermediate
4.0(2)

Marine Street Beach is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Mission Beach
jetty
intermediate
3.9(13)

**Mission Beach** serves as central San Diego surfing bellwether rated 6/10. Nearly 2-mile stretch from South Mission Jetty to Pacific Beach offers year-round beachbreak.

4.5(2)

Beachbreak at South Mission with a jetty that creates wedging waves. Big parking lot fills with volleyball crowds mid-day. Mid tide steadies the wave shape. Onshores wreck afternoons so go early for best conditions. The jetty rip runs hard on overhead pulses - keep eyes on the current.

New Break (Nubes)
beach
beginner-intermediate
4.3(3)

New Break (Nubes) is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Ocean Beach
jetty
advanced
3.8(21)

**Ocean Beach** delivers San Diego's most consistent surf rated 8/10 but most dangerous beach. Receives all swell directions 200-310° (center 270°) with east offshore winds (90°).

Ocean Beach Pier
beach
advanced
4.3(3)

Powerful beachbreak near the OB Pier with shifting sandbars that can handle serious size. The pier creates banks that often produce the best waves in the area. Morning offshore winds during Santa Ana conditions make for epic sessions. Be mindful of the jetty and pier - both create strong rips when the swell is up.

Osprey Point
point
intermediate
4.3(3)

Osprey Point is a point break in San Diego, CA. It is best suited for intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, sea urchins, pollution.

Pacific Beach
beach
beginner-intermediate
3.8(16)

**Pacific Beach** (Crystal Pier) offers multiple peaks rated 5/10—always something but rarely truly good.

PB Point
point
intermediate
3.7(29)

PB Point is a point break in San Diego, CA. It is best suited for intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, rocks, sea urchins, pollution.

Silver Strand State Beach
beach
beginner-intermediate
4.0(1)

**Silver Strand State Beach** (Coronado) offers beginner-friendly gentle waves rated 4/10 for inconsistency.

Garbage at Sunset Cliffs is an exposed reef with left and right peaks. It lights up during winter west and northwest swells and is best surfed at low to mid tide. Access involves scrambling down a cliff to a rocky beach; the wave is powerful with strong currents and is better for experienced surfers.

Luscombs Point is a left-handing reef at Sunset Cliffs that produces long, powerful walls during west swells. Access is via a fenced point where surfers climb down the rocks and jump off a ledge; timing your entry with the incoming waves is critical. The wave is fast and shallow, so it's suited to advanced surfers.

**Sunset Cliffs** features multiple reef breaks along Point Loma rated 7/10 with numerous named spots (Luscomb's Point, Garbage Beach, New Break, Abs, Osprey).

Tijuana Sloughs
beach
expert
4.0(3)

**Tijuana Sloughs** represents legendary big-wave spot rated 5/10 for consistency but major pollution issues.

Torrey Pines State Beach
beach
beginner-intermediate
3.8(12)

Torrey Pines State Beach is a beach break in San Diego, CA. It is suited for beginner-intermediate surfers. Watch out for rip currents, pollution.

Tourmaline
beach
beginner
3.6(5)

**Tourmaline** (Old Man's) provides exceptional longboarding and best beginner spot in San Diego, rated 6/10.

5.0(3)

Longboard and fish heaven with soft, rolling waves and cruisey shoulders. Best on mid to high tide with small W/NW or combo swells. The parking lot fills late morning but has decent turnover. Gentle vibe overall, though watch for drifting learners. Perfect spot for a mellow session on a small day.

What to know about water temperature

  • Weekly temperature trends and seasonal averages
  • Gear recommendations for dawn patrol versus midday
  • Upwelling signals that drop temps overnight
  • Health and recovery tips for long cold sessions

Surf Guides for San Diego

Frequently Asked Questions

About surfing in San Diego

Water temperatures in San Diego typically range from 55-72°F. For summer, spring suit or 3/2mm is recommended. In winter, you'll want 4/3mm. Spring and fall may require adjusting based on your cold tolerance.
Water temperatures in San Diego vary by season, ranging from 55-72°F. Check Quiver's live water temperature data for real-time readings at specific surf spots. Temperatures are typically warmest around August-September and coldest in January-February.
Water temperatures in San Diego range from 55-72°F, so most surfers wear at least spring suit or 3/2mm even in summer. A wetsuit is recommended year-round for longer sessions and early morning surfs.

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.