Point Loma, San Diego · San Diego County
Sunset Cliffs Surf Report
Surf
3–6 ft
Fair
Tide
Rising
High 5.6 ft at 7:52 PM
Wind
9 kt
From W · onshore
Water
74°F
from the buoy
Water quality
Low
Recent tests within limits
A stretch of cliff-backed reefs on Point Loma that handle size well, especially on west and northwest winter swells.
Conditions now
Fair
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
Epic
4–5 ft with onshore wind at 9 kt
Rated by the Surfing Tomorrow Break Model, our proprietary method. How it works
Est. surf at the break
3–6 ft
Surfing Tomorrow Break Model, calculated from buoy 46258 readings and Sunset Cliffs's swell window.
Wind now
9 kt
From W · onshore · forecast model for Sep 23, 3:00 PM
Swells at the buoy
From the buoy: measured by NOAA buoy 46258 (Mission Bay West (CDIP 220)) · reading taken Sep 23, 2:26 PM
Total wave height
3.9 ft15s SW 218°
All wave energy combined
Groundswell
2.6 ft13.3s WNW
Longer-period swell from distant storms
Wind swell
3.3 ft7.7s WNW
Short-period chop from local or nearby wind
7-day surf
GFS-Wave + ECMWF modelForecast unavailable.
How to read this: the curve is our estimated surf size at Sunset Cliffs each day (from the forecast model, not the buoy); dot color is that day's rating using the day's strongest wind. Sunset Cliffs works best with 12s+.
Tide
San Diego, Quarantine Station (Point Loma)
Low
2:09 AM
High
8:21 AM
Low
1:58 PM
High
7:52 PM
Low
2:34 AM
High
8:40 AM
Best conditions
- Swell window
- W through NW (250°–300°)
- Ideal period
- 12s+
- Tide
- Low to mid
- Wind
- Light offshore or glassy (typically early morning)
- Size
- 3–10 ft
Swell arriving — next 48 hours
Hourly swell height and period from the GFS-Wave / ECMWF marine model at 32.721, -117.256
Peak in the next 48h: 0.0 ft around Wed 3 PM
Longest period: 0s — 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: Wed 8 PM 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 Sunset Cliffs needs.
- Swell from
- WSW · 250°
- Wind from
- N · 0°
- Swell window
- WSW–WNW (shaded)
Water & air temperature
Water temperature from the buoy (NOAA 46258); 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 Sunset Cliffs'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 “Sunset Cliffs” and its city. Each is credited to its creator and plays from YouTube.
Through the year — monthly guide & videos
What Sunset Cliffs 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 Sunset Cliffs in that month.
September at Sunset Cliffs
Saved YouTube picks for Sunset Cliffs in September, filtered to real surf footage. The date shown is when each video was posted.
No September videos found for Sunset Cliffs yet.
The break
A series of distinct reefs along the cliffs; each prefers a slightly different swell and tide.
Holds large winter swells better than most San Diego spots.
Access is down steep cliff trails — know your path in and out.
Hazards & etiquette
- Steep, eroding cliffs — use established trails only.
- Shallow reef and rocks; localism at several reefs.
Getting there
- Parking
- Street parking along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.
- Nearest buoy
- NDBC 46258 — Mission Bay West (CDIP 220), about 14 mi away.
- Tide station
- NOAA 9410166 — San Diego, Quarantine Station (Point Loma).
Seasonal patterns
Spring (Mar–May)
Mixed late NW and early S swells, water around 60–64°F, morning fog and afternoon onshore wind. 3/2 full suit.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
South and southwest groundswell season. Water warms to the upper 60s–low 70s°F. Surf early — the sea breeze usually arrives by late morning.
Fall (Sep–Nov)
Often the best window: lingering south swell, first NW pulses, warmest water and lighter winds, plus occasional Santa Ana offshores.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
NW and W groundswell season. Water 57–61°F, 4/3 suit. Storms bring rain, runoff advisories and wind.
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, 3:15 PM.
No active warnings or closures at nearby stations.
| Station | Sampled | Test | Result | State limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence St. outletEH-211 · 1.4 mi away | 2026-09-17 | Enterococcus | 444 Copies/100ml | 1,413 · under |
| Ladera StreetPL-070 · 0.2 mi away | 2026-08-26 | Enterococcus | 20 CFU/100ml | 104 · under |
| Ladera StreetPL-070 · 0.2 mi away | 2026-08-26 | Fecal Coliforms | 4 CFU/100ml | 400 · under |
| Ladera StreetPL-070 · 0.2 mi away | 2026-08-26 | Total Coliforms | 800 CFU/100ml | 10,000 · under |
| Bermuda Ave (D8)PL-080 · 1.1 mi away | 2026-08-26 | Enterococcus | 2 CFU/100ml | 104 · under |
| Bermuda Ave (D8)PL-080 · 1.1 mi away | 2026-08-26 | Fecal Coliforms | 2 CFU/100ml | 400 · under |
| Bermuda Ave (D8)PL-080 · 1.1 mi away | 2026-08-26 | Total Coliforms | 20 CFU/100ml | 10,000 · 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.
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 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 46258 (Mission Bay West (CDIP 220)). NOAA posts new readings about every 30–60 min. | Reading taken Sep 23, 2:26 PM |
| Water temperature | Measured nearshore | NOAA NDBC buoy 46258. Water at the break can differ slightly. | Reading taken Sep 23, 2:26 PM |
| Tide | Official prediction | NOAA CO-OPS station 9410166 (San Diego, Quarantine Station (Point Loma)). Calculated tide tables, not live water level. | Fetched Sep 23, 3:15 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, 3:15 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, 3:15 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, 3:15 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, 2:26 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, 3:15 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 Sunset Cliffs 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.