San Clemente · Orange County
204s (North Beach) Surf Report
Today's forecast
Surf
3–4 ft
Good
Tide
Dropping
Low 0.2 ft at 2:45 AM
Wind
3 kt
From W · calm
Water
73°F
from the buoy
Pollution risk
Low
No active advisory
A punchy sandbar peak in north San Clemente between the El Portal and Dije Court beach stairs, about a mile north of the pier. Local surfers named it in the 1950s after a number sign on the railroad tracks.
Conditions now
Good
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
Epic
3–4 ft. Light, glassy wind.
Rated by the Surfing Tomorrow Break Model, our proprietary method. How it works
Est. surf at the break
3–4 ft
Forecast by BODI, from the Scripps nearshore model just off 204s (North Beach).
Wind now
3 kt
From W · calm · forecast model for Sep 24, 8:00 PM
Tomorrow's forecast
Should I surf tomorrow? · Fri
3–4 ft · 11s SSW · N 4 kt · rising tide
Why: mid-period SSW swell + onshore wind 4 kt + rising tide.
Swell arriving — next 48 hours
Hourly swell height and period from the GFS-Wave / ECMWF marine model at 33.428, -117.637
Peak in the next 48h: 3.8 ft around Sat 2 PM
Longest period: 11s — longer period means the swell was generated by a stronger, more distant storm and will carry more energy into the break.
7-day surf
GFS-Wave + ECMWF modelThu
Fair
12s
Fri
Good
11s
Sat
Good
11s
Sun
Good
11s
Mon
Excellent
12s
Tue
Good
12s
Wed
Fair
13s
Sessions · Fri Best session: 8 AM–10 AM · 66/100
| Time | Surf | Wind | Tide | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 AM–8 AM | 3–4 ft | N 4 kt | rising | 64 |
| 8 AM–10 AM | 3–4 ft | N 4 kt | rising | 66 |
| 10 AM–12 PM | 3–4 ft | W 6 kt | falling | 46 |
| 12 PM–2 PM | 3–4 ft | WNW 8 kt | falling | 47 |
| 2 PM–4 PM | 3–4 ft | WNW 9 kt | falling | 46 |
| 4 PM–6 PM | 3–4 ft | WNW 8 kt | rising | 47 |
How to read this: the curve is our estimated surf size at 204s (North Beach) each day (from the forecast model, not the buoy); dot color is that day's rating at its best daylight hour (5 AM–7 PM), so a windy afternoon won't sink a glassy morning. 204s (North Beach) works best with 10s+.
Tide
San Clemente
Low
2:45 AM
High
8:51 AM
Low
2:55 PM
High
8:52 PM
Low
3:10 AM
High
9:14 AM
Best conditions
- Swell window
- S through W (180°–280°)
- Ideal period
- 10s+
- Tide
- Low to mid, incoming
- Wind
- Light offshore or glassy (typically early morning)
- Size
- 2–6 ft
Swells at the buoy
From the buoy: measured by NOAA buoy 46277 (Green Beach Offshore (CDIP 271)) · reading taken Sep 24, 8:00 PM
Total wave height
2.6 ft14s SSW 202°
All wave energy combined
Groundswell
2 ft14.3s SSW
Longer-period swell from distant storms
Wind swell
2 ft8.3s SW
Short-period chop from local or nearby wind
Get alerts
Know when 204s (North Beach) is going to be good.
Get one email the day before this break rates Good or better.
Wind — next 48 hours
Hourly 10 m wind speed. Offshore here is roughly E–NE.
Cleanest window: Sat 8 AM at 1 kt. Arrows show where the wind is blowing: green is offshore or glassy, yellow cross-shore, red onshore.
Swell & wind direction
Where the energy is coming from versus the window 204s (North Beach) needs.
- Swell from
- SSW · 198°
- Wind from
- WSW · 252°
- Swell window
- S–W (shaded)
Water & air temperature
Water temperature from the buoy (NOAA 46277); air temperature from the weather model. Placed on the wetsuit scale.
Wear: Boardshorts / spring
BODI swell breakdown
Each swell hitting 204s (North Beach) right now, measured just outside the break. Confidence: High.
Groundswell
1.5 ft
13s · SW 219°
Mid-period swell
1.2 ft
13s · SW 217°
Wind swell
0.8 ft
9s · SW 221°
Swell heights are open-water heights near the break; wave faces are usually bigger. Wind: NOAA HRRR / GFS. Meet BODI
How we rate the surf
Surf size comes from BODI, our forecasting engine. It starts from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography nearshore wave model at the point closest to 204s (North Beach), which already accounts for island shadowing, canyons and headlands. BODI then grows each swell by its period (longer swell stands up taller), adds 204s (North Beach)'s own local adjustment, and slowly corrects itself by comparing past forecasts with what actually arrived. If that data is unavailable, it falls back to the nearest buoy and 204s (North Beach)'s swell window. The Surfing Tomorrow Break Model then rates it. Wave size sets the possible range; the wind decides where in that range it lands. Offshore or glassy wind puts it at the top, cross-shore or light onshore at the bottom, strong onshore drops it one level, and rain or storms drop it one more.
| Wave size at the break | Possible rating |
|---|---|
| Under 1 ft | Poor |
| 1–2 ft | Poor to Fair |
| 2–4 ft | Fair to Good |
| 4–5 ft | Good to Excellent |
| 5–8 ft | Excellent to Epic |
| 8 ft + | Excellent to Epic |
Surf under 3 ft never rates above Fair. When the tide is well outside 204s (North Beach)'s preferred range (low to mid, incoming), the current rating drops one level. Best windows come from the hourly forecast between 5 AM and 7 PM. Estimates, not measurements.
Recent from the lineup — YouTube
The newest YouTube videos and Shorts matching “204s (North Beach)” and its city. Each is credited to its creator and plays from YouTube.
Through the year — monthly guide & videos
What 204s (North Beach) is like through the year. Pick a month for a quick guide built from recent years of weather and wave records, plus YouTube videos of 204s (North Beach) in that month.
September at 204s (North Beach)
Saved YouTube picks for 204s (North Beach) in September, filtered to real surf footage. The date shown is when each video was posted.
Surf video picks dropping soon — check back daily.
The break
Fast, short A-frames over sand and scattered rock; can be hollow and ledgey when the sand lines up.
Takes S and W swells much like the pier, often a touch punchier.
Low to mid tide on the push is the usual call.
Hazards & etiquette
- A tight, experienced local crew — wait your turn.
- Rocks in the lineup and on the beach at lower tides.
- Railroad tracks — cross only at the marked beach stairs.
Getting there
- Parking
- North Beach lot at Avenida Pico and PCH (restrooms, showers), then a short walk south on the beach trail; limited street parking near Buena Vista stairs.
- Nearest buoy
- NDBC 46277 — Green Beach Offshore (CDIP 271), about 6.5 mi away.
- Tide station
- NOAA TWC0419 — San Clemente.
Seasonal patterns
Spring (Mar–May)
Transitional mix of NW and early S swell. Water about 60–64°F, frequent fog and afternoon wind. 3/2 full suit.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Peak south-swell season — south-facing Orange County beaches pick up Southern Hemisphere groundswell well. Crowded; water up to the upper 60s°F.
Fall (Sep–Nov)
Late south swells, first NW pulses and Santa Ana offshore days. Warm water, fewer crowds.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
NW and W swells; many south-facing spots are partly shadowed from NW energy. Water 56–60°F, 4/3 suit. Rain brings runoff advisories.
Water quality & pollution
Official bacteria tests, warnings and closures from California BeachWatch (State Water Board, reported by San Diego County), for sampling stations within 1.5 miles. Fetched Sep 24, 8:31 PM.
No active warnings or closures at nearby stations.
| Station | Sampled | Test | Result | State limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No samples at stations within 1.5 miles in the last 60 days. | ||||
Air quality (US AQI)
55
Moderate
PM2.5 · Ozone
11 · 76
µg/m³
Air quality is a forecast model estimate (Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a monitor reading, for Sep 24, 8:00 PM.
Water-quality results come from California's BeachWatch program. Avoid the water for at least 72 hours after significant rain — urban runoff raises bacteria levels at nearly every Southern California beach.
Nearby spots
Where this data comes from
Every underlying data input comes from the sources listed below. Surf size and ratings are calculated using the Surfing Tomorrow Break Model. Not everything is a live measurement at the break — here's exactly what each item is.
| Item | Type | Source | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swell height, period, direction | Measured nearshore | NOAA NDBC buoy 46277 (Green Beach Offshore (CDIP 271)). NOAA posts new readings about every 30–60 min. | Reading taken Sep 24, 8:00 PM |
| Water temperature | Measured nearshore | NOAA NDBC buoy 46277. Water at the break can differ slightly. | Reading taken Sep 24, 8:00 PM |
| Tide | Official prediction | NOAA CO-OPS station TWC0419 (San Clemente). Calculated tide tables, not live water level. | Fetched Sep 24, 8:31 PM |
| 7-day swell, 48-hour swell | Forecast model | GFS-Wave / ECMWF marine models via Open-Meteo, for the open ocean off this spot. | Fetched Sep 24, 8:31 PM |
| Wind now, 48-hour wind, air temperature | Forecast model | Open-Meteo weather model. Local sea breezes can differ from the model. | Fetched Sep 24, 8:31 PM |
| Conditions rating | Surfing Tomorrow Break Model | Our proprietary rating: estimated wave size sets the range, current wind and rain/storm weather set the level (Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent, Epic). | Calculated Sep 24, 8:31 PM |
| Est. surf at the break | Surfing Tomorrow Break Model | Our proprietary estimate: buoy groundswell and wind swell scaled by period and swell-window alignment for this break. | From reading at Sep 24, 8:00 PM |
| Water bacteria, warnings, closures | Official test results | California BeachWatch (State Water Resources Control Board), reported by San Diego County DEHQ. Sampled weekly at most stations; results post a day or more after sampling. | Fetched Sep 24, 8:31 PM |
| Air quality | Forecast model | Copernicus CAMS air-quality model via Open-Meteo. Not a ground monitor. | Model hour Sep 24, 8:00 PM |
| Break guide, hazards, seasons | Written guide | General local knowledge. Seasonal water temperatures are typical ranges, not live readings. | Reviewed by our team |
Important: buoy 46277 (Green Beach Offshore (CDIP 271)) measures the swell out at sea, not at 204s (North Beach) itself. Waves at the break can be bigger or smaller than the buoy reading depending on swell angle, the sea floor and nearby headlands. Always check the water yourself and know your limits.