La Jolla, San Diego · San Diego County
La Jolla Shores Surf Report
Surf
2–3 ft
Fair
Tide
Rising
High 5.4 ft at 7:51 PM
Wind
8 kt
From W · onshore
Water
75°F
from the buoy
Water quality
Low
Recent tests within limits
La Jolla Shores is San Diego's classic learn-to-surf beach: a long, sandy, south-facing stretch tucked inside La Jolla Bay. Point La Jolla blocks much of the swell, so the waves are usually small, soft and forgiving — ideal for first sessions, longboards and surf schools.
Conditions now
Fair
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
Epic
2–4 ft with light onshore wind
Rated by the Surfing Tomorrow Break Model, our proprietary method. How it works
Est. surf at the break
2–3 ft
Surfing Tomorrow Break Model, calculated from buoy 46254 readings and La Jolla Shores's swell window.
Wind now
8 kt
From W · onshore · forecast model for Sep 23, 3:00 PM
Swells at the buoy
From the buoy: measured by NOAA buoy 46254 (Scripps Nearshore (CDIP 201)) · reading taken Sep 23, 2:56 PM
Total wave height
3 ft7s W 278°
All wave energy combined
Groundswell
1 ft13.3s WNW
Longer-period swell from distant storms
Wind swell
2.6 ft7.1s W
Short-period chop from local or nearby wind
7-day surf
GFS-Wave + ECMWF modelWed
Poor
13s
Thu
Poor
12s
Fri
Poor
11s
Sat
Poor
11s
Sun
Poor
11s
Mon
Poor
12s
Tue
Poor
12s
How to read this: the curve is our estimated surf size at La Jolla Shores each day (from the forecast model, not the buoy); dot color is that day's rating using the day's strongest wind. La Jolla Shores works best with 10–14s.
Tide
La Jolla (Scripps Pier)
Low
2:05 AM
High
8:27 AM
Low
1:52 PM
High
7:51 PM
Low
2:28 AM
High
8:44 AM
Best conditions
- Swell window
- W through NW (250°–300°)
- Ideal period
- 10–14s
- Tide
- Mid tide
- Wind
- Calm to light E (early morning)
- Size
- 1–4 ft
Swell arriving — next 48 hours
Hourly swell height and period from the GFS-Wave / ECMWF marine model at 32.858, -117.257
Peak in the next 48h: 2.8 ft around Fri 10 AM
Longest period: 12s — longer period means the swell was generated by a stronger, more distant storm and will carry more energy into the reef.
Wind — next 48 hours
Hourly 10 m wind speed. Offshore here is roughly E–NE.
Cleanest window: Thu 5 AM at 0 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 La Jolla Shores needs.
- Swell from
- SW · 216°
- Wind from
- WNW · 296°
- Swell window
- WSW–WNW (shaded)
Water & air temperature
Water temperature from the buoy (NOAA 46254); air temperature from the weather model. Placed on the wetsuit scale.
Wear: Boardshorts / spring
How we rate the surf
The Surfing Tomorrow Break Model is our own proprietary method. It takes the swells measured at the nearest buoy, scales each one by its period (longer swell grows more as it reaches shallow water) and by how well it lines up with La Jolla Shores's swell window, then combines them into a wave size at the break. 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 |
Estimates, not measurements — not yet checked against logged sessions.
Recent from the lineup — YouTube
The newest YouTube videos and Shorts matching “La Jolla Shores” and its city. Each is credited to its creator and plays from YouTube.
Through the year — monthly guide & videos
What La Jolla Shores 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 La Jolla Shores in that month.
September at La Jolla Shores
In September, waves at La Jolla Shores typically peak around 3.1 ft each day, with swell mostly from the SW at about 11 seconds, the water averages 70°F (trunks or a springsuit), air runs 64–77°F, and it rains on about 3 days.
Typical wave peak
3.1 ft
SW swell · 11s
Water
70°F
trunks or a springsuit
Air
77°F
lows 64°F
Rainy days
3
per month
Averages for 2023–2025. Waves and water temperature: Open-Meteo marine model (offshore, not measured at the break). Air and rain: Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, Copernicus/ECMWF). Treat these as a general guide, not a forecast.
Saved YouTube picks for La Jolla Shores in September, filtered to real surf footage. The date shown is when each video was posted.
No September videos found for La Jolla Shores yet.
The break
The bay is sheltered by Point La Jolla to the south, which knocks down most swell. When the rest of the county is big, the Shores is often a manageable size.
Waves are mostly soft, crumbly peaks over sand. Sandbars shift through the year, so the best peak moves around.
Surf schools use the area near Avenida de la Playa. Give lessons room and expect a crowd of beginners.
The Scripps submarine canyon sits just offshore to the north. It focuses some swells toward Scripps Pier and Blacks, which is why those spots can be much bigger than the Shores on the same day.
Hazards & etiquette
- Very crowded with swimmers, kayakers and surf schools in summer — watch for designated swim zones.
- Stingrays in shallow sand during warm months; shuffle your feet when walking in.
- Rip currents can form between sandbars on bigger days.
- Lifeguard towers are seasonal; check what's staffed before you go.
Getting there
- Parking
- Free lot at Kellogg Park plus street parking. Fills early on summer weekends.
- Entry
- Walk straight off the sand. Easy entry, no rocks at the main beach.
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers and a grassy park at Kellogg Park.
- Nearest buoy
- NDBC 46254 — Scripps Nearshore (CDIP 201), the closest wave buoy, about 0.7 mi north-northwest, just off Scripps Pier.
Seasonal patterns
Spring (Mar–May)
Small, mixed swell and cool water around 60–64°F. Morning fog is common.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Busiest season. Small, gentle surf and the warmest water, often 66–72°F.
Fall (Sep–Nov)
Warm water lingers into early fall with light winds and fewer crowds after Labor Day.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Larger swells arrive but the bay stays smaller than open beaches. Water around 58–62°F.
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 23, 3:18 PM.
No active warnings or closures at nearby stations.
| Station | Sampled | Test | Result | State limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ave De La PlayaFM-080 · 0.2 mi away | 2026-09-22 | Enterococcus | 616 Copies/100ml | 1,413 · under |
| La Jolla CoveFM-070 · 1 mi away | 2026-09-22 | Enterococcus | 1,357 Copies/100ml | 1,413 · under |
| Blacks BeachFM-090 · 1.4 mi away | 2026-09-22 | Enterococcus | 195 Copies/100ml | 1,413 · under |
| 1000 ft south of Scripps PierSI-010 · 0.4 mi away | 2026-09-02 | Enterococcus | 4 CFU/100ml | 104 · under |
| 1000 ft south of Scripps PierSI-010 · 0.4 mi away | 2026-09-02 | Fecal Coliforms | 2 CFU/100ml | 400 · under |
| 1000 ft south of Scripps PierSI-010 · 0.4 mi away | 2026-09-02 | Total Coliforms | 2 CFU/100ml | 10,000 · under |
| 250 feet sout of Scripps PierSI-020 · 0.6 mi away | 2026-09-02 | Enterococcus | 2 CFU/100ml | 104 · under |
| 250 feet sout of Scripps PierSI-020 · 0.6 mi away | 2026-09-02 | Fecal Coliforms | 2 CFU/100ml | 400 · under |
Air quality (US AQI)
—
Unavailable
PM2.5 · Ozone
— · —
µg/m³
Air quality is a forecast model estimate (Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a monitor reading.
Sampled by the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. Avoid the water for 72 hours after measurable rain — runoff raises bacteria levels across San Diego beaches.
Nearby spots
Where this data comes from
Every number on this page is pulled fresh from public sources each time the page loads. Nothing is invented. But 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 46254 (Scripps Nearshore (CDIP 201)). NOAA posts new readings about every 30–60 min. | Reading taken Sep 23, 2:56 PM |
| Water temperature | Measured nearshore | NOAA NDBC buoy 46254. Water at the break can differ slightly. | Reading taken Sep 23, 2:56 PM |
| Tide | Official prediction | NOAA CO-OPS station 9410230 (La Jolla (Scripps Pier)). Calculated tide tables, not live water level. | Fetched Sep 23, 3:18 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 23, 3:18 PM |
| Wind now, 48-hour wind, air temperature | Forecast model | Open-Meteo weather model. Local sea breezes can differ from the model. | Fetched Sep 23, 3:18 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 23, 3:18 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 23, 2:56 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 23, 3:18 PM |
| Air quality | Forecast model | Copernicus CAMS air-quality model via Open-Meteo. Not a ground monitor. | Unavailable |
| Break guide, hazards, seasons | Written guide | General local knowledge. Seasonal water temperatures are typical ranges, not live readings. | Reviewed by our team |
Important: the buoy sits just off Scripps Pier in about 20 m of water, not at La Jolla Shores 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.