Central and South San Diego · Today

Imperial Beach

NWS SGX San Diego County Coastal Areas · THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY; official reef-face range: 1–3 ft

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 4:40 PM PDT

When to go

Around 6:00 PM

Windy · Low confidence

3.2–3.2 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Wind: 8.3 kt · cross-shore

Forecast details

This is the best time in the forecast, though wind may make it choppy.

Other wind windows

Plan around the wind

The best available upcoming daylight wind sample to compare with the wave evidence. This compares wind only; wave size, tide suitability, and hazards can change your choice.

5:00 PM–6:00 PM · America/Los_Angeles
Unfavorable wind · up to 8.9 kt · reported gusts up to 10.5 kt
Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. The selected wind is unfavorable for this break.
Offshore waves: 3.2–3.2 ft across the period. Surf height unavailable. Tide data available; check the local tide response.
Wind source time: Sep 22, 4:45 PM PDT. This is not the model run issue time.

How these periods are chosen

The planner prefers three consecutive hourly samples covering two daylight hours, but retains shorter one- or two-sample evidence when that is all the forecast provides. Light wind means at most 6 kt. Moderate offshore means at most 12 kt from land toward the sea when shore orientation is verified. Strong wind or known gusts of 20 kt or more remain visible as cautions instead of making the entire comparison disappear. These are comparison labels, not locally tested surf-quality or safety ratings. Missing gusts remain unknown. Terrain shelter, currents, closures, and your ability are not assessed.

Forecast confidence

Returned marine grid point is 3.9 km from the mapped spot. Provider grid resolution is not established for this response.
Reference model hour: 0 hours from now; historical residuals do not measure forecast lead-time error.
No accepted local model for these inputs: missing history, unsupported direction/period/height, or failed historical validation.
A mapped coordinate does not establish nearshore grid resolution or terrain/shelter accuracy.

Wind NW 8.9 kt

Tide 4 ft rising

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellW 2.2 ft @ 4sValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_AngelesMarine grid 32.6250, -117.1250 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea3.2 ft @ 8.8sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles

Model windNW 8.9 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles5.5 kt onshore component

Tide4 ftrisingNOAA IMPERIAL BEACH, PACIFIC OCEAN 9410120 · 1 km from spot · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 4:46 PM PDT · provider issue time unavailable61% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating

NWS SGX San Diego County Coastal Areas · THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY1–3 ftOfficial San Diego County coastal-area surf height; shore assignment is explicit, but local break transformation and quality remain unresolvedIssued Sep 22, 1:19 PM PDT

NDBC 46232 / CDIP 191 Point Loma South3.9 ft @ 17sObserved offshore significant wave height (Hs) at the assigned buoy; not breaking-wave face heightObserved Sep 22, 4:26 PM PDT

Surf height unavailable. Coastal and offshore waves are not breaking-wave heights.

Surf and wind

Recommended window: No recommended window

Breaking surf is not reliably resolved. Hourly offshore swell and wind inputs are listed below.

Hourly forecast

Hourly surf forecast for Imperial Beach
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	NW 2.7 ktonshore	1.5 ftfalling	SW 1.7 ft @ 14s
1 AM	NW 3.5 ktcross-shore	1 ftnear low	SW 1.7 ft @ 14s
2 AM	NE 1.8 ktcross-shore	0.5 ftrising	SW 1.7 ft @ 14s
3 AM	NNE 1.6 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	SW 1.7 ft @ 14s
4 AM	N 1.9 ktcross-shore	2 ftrising	SW 1.7 ft @ 14s
5 AM	NW 0.5 ktonshore	2.5 ftrising	SW 1.7 ft @ 13s
6 AM	SE 1.2 ktoffshore	3 ftrising	SW 1.8 ft @ 13s
7 AM	E 1 ktoffshore	3.5 ftrising	SW 1.8 ft @ 13s
8 AM	N 0.8 ktcross-shore	4 ftnear high	SW 1.8 ft @ 13s
9 AM	NW 5.7 ktcross-shore	4 ftfalling	SW 1.9 ft @ 11s
10 AM	NW 3.7 ktonshore	3.5 ftfalling	SW 2.0 ft @ 9s
11 AM	WNW 4.9 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	SW 2.1 ft @ 8s
Noon	WNW 8.2 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	SW 2.1 ft @ 8s
1 PM	WNW 8.9 ktonshore	2.5 ftnear low	SW 2.0 ft @ 9s
2 PM	WNW 9.4 ktonshore	2.5 ftrising	SW 2.0 ft @ 9s
3 PM	WNW 10.1 ktonshore	3 ftrising	WSW 2.1 ft @ 8s
4 PM	NW 9.8 ktonshore	3.5 ftrising	W 2.1 ft @ 6s
5 PM	NW 8.9 ktcross-shore	4 ftrising	W 2.2 ft @ 4s
6 PM	NW 8.3 ktcross-shore	4.5 ftrising	W 2.3 ft @ 4s
7 PM	NW 6.9 ktcross-shore	5 ftnear high	W 2.4 ft @ 4s
8 PM	NNW 6.2 ktcross-shore	4.5 ftfalling	W 2.5 ft @ 4s
9 PM	NNW 5.8 ktcross-shore	4 ftfalling	W 2.5 ft @ 4s
10 PM	N 6.3 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftfalling	W 2.6 ft @ 4s
11 PM	N 5.7 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftfalling	W 2.6 ft @ 4s

12 AMUnavailable

WindNW 2.7 ktonshoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 1.7 ft @ 14s

1 AMUnavailable

WindNW 3.5 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftnear lowOffshore swellSW 1.7 ft @ 14s

2 AMUnavailable

WindNE 1.8 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 1.7 ft @ 14s

3 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 1.6 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 1.7 ft @ 14s

4 AMUnavailable

WindN 1.9 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 1.7 ft @ 14s

5 AMUnavailable

WindNW 0.5 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 1.7 ft @ 13s

6 AMUnavailable

WindSE 1.2 ktoffshoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 1.8 ft @ 13s

7 AMUnavailable

WindE 1 ktoffshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 1.8 ft @ 13s

8 AMUnavailable

WindN 0.8 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftnear highOffshore swellSW 1.8 ft @ 13s

9 AMUnavailable

WindNW 5.7 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 1.9 ft @ 11s

10 AMUnavailable

WindNW 3.7 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.0 ft @ 9s

11 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 4.9 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 8s

NoonUnavailable

WindWNW 8.2 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 8s

1 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 8.9 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellSW 2.0 ft @ 9s

2 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 9.4 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.0 ft @ 9s

3 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 10.1 ktonshoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellWSW 2.1 ft @ 8s

4 PMUnavailable

WindNW 9.8 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellW 2.1 ft @ 6s

5 PMUnavailable

WindNW 8.9 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftrisingOffshore swellW 2.2 ft @ 4s

6 PMUnavailable

WindNW 8.3 ktcross-shoreTide4.5 ftrisingOffshore swellW 2.3 ft @ 4s

7 PMUnavailable

WindNW 6.9 ktcross-shoreTide5 ftnear highOffshore swellW 2.4 ft @ 4s

8 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 6.2 ktcross-shoreTide4.5 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.5 ft @ 4s

9 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 5.8 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.5 ft @ 4s

10 PMUnavailable

WindN 6.3 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.6 ft @ 4s

11 PMUnavailable

WindN 5.7 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.6 ft @ 4s

Tide

NOAA IMPERIAL BEACH, PACIFIC OCEAN 9410120 · 1 km from spot · MLLW

Interpolated tide height Recommended window

About this spot

Model-grid forecast requested at the mapped coordinate; reef, headland, and nearshore transformations are unresolved. Beach break.

Mapped spot coordinate: 32.59, -117.13.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 270° · Location provenance

Model request point: Imperial Beach (32.59, -117.13). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 5/6 sources

Source availability is not forecast accuracy. Where an empirical model passes historical testing, its error and interval coverage are shown above. Source count cannot increase that confidence.

Coverage tier A · US_CA · spot-level model point

NWS SGX San Diego County Coastal Areas · THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY; official reef-face range1–3 ftCurrent · Sep 22, 1:19 PM PDT

NWS SGX San Diego County Coastal Areas · THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY
NWS SGX San Diego County Coastal Areas · THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY; Official San Diego County coastal-area surf height; shore assignment is explicit, but local break transformation and quality remain unresolvedCurrentSep 22, 1:19 PM PDT
Coastal Data Information Program THREDDS
No current assigned CDIP nearshore observation covers this spot.UnavailableNo source time
NDBC 46232 / CDIP 191 Point Loma South
NDBC 46232 / CDIP 191 Point Loma South; Observed offshore significant wave height (Hs) at the assigned buoy; not breaking-wave face heightCurrentSep 22, 4:26 PM PDT
NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
NOAA IMPERIAL BEACH, PACIFIC OCEAN 9410120 · 1 km from spot; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.CurrentSep 22, 4:46 PM PDT
Open-Meteo Marine API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 22, 4:45 PM PDT
Open-Meteo Weather API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 22, 4:45 PM PDT
Surf-Forecast public pages
Spot discovery and break-specific HTML fallbackNot applicableNo source time
Surfline public spot pages
Break-specific comparison, cams, and metadataNot applicableNo source time

How best guesses are made

Best guesses combine usable wave and wind evidence, with qualitative confidence and specific limitations. A missing tide or local surf-height model does not prevent useful guidance. Tide levels use the named station datum; their effect at this break remains uncertain. Wind direction is relative to the mapped beach orientation, without calibrated terrain or shelter effects. The comparison is a heuristic, not a measured quality rating.