Central and South San Diego · Today

Scripps Pier

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

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 5:30 PM PDT

When to go

Around 6:00 PM

Windy · Low confidence

3.3–3.3 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Wind: 6.9 kt · onshore

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.

At 6:00 PM · America/Los_Angeles
Unfavorable wind · up to 6.9 kt · reported gusts up to 8.6 kt
Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. The selected wind is unfavorable for this break.
Offshore waves: 3.3–3.3 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 6.9 kt

Tide 4.5 ft rising

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellSW 2.2 ft @ 10sValid 2026-09-22 18:00 · America/Los_AngelesMarine grid 32.8750, -117.2917 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea3.3 ft @ 9.1sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-22 18:00 · America/Los_Angeles

Model windNW 6.9 ktonshoreValid 2026-09-22 18:00 · America/Los_Angeles6.9 kt onshore component

Tide4.5 ftrisingNOAA La Jolla 9410230 · 1 km from spot · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 5:31 PM PDT · provider issue time unavailable79% 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

CDIP 201 / NDBC 46254 Scripps Nearshore3.1 ft @ 6.3sCDIP measured significant wave height (Hs) at the assigned nearshore buoy; not breaking-wave face heightObserved Sep 22, 4:30 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 Scripps Pier
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	WNW 5.7 ktonshore	1.5 ftfalling	W 2.2 ft @ 4s
1 AM	NNW 1.7 ktonshore	0.5 ftnear low	W 2.2 ft @ 6s
2 AM	N 0.8 ktonshore	0.5 ftrising	W 2.2 ft @ 7s
3 AM	WSW 1.2 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	WSW 2.1 ft @ 9s
4 AM	W 2.9 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	SW 2.1 ft @ 11s
5 AM	N 1 ktonshore	2.5 ftrising	SW 2.0 ft @ 12s
6 AM	SW 2.2 ktcross-shore	3 ftrising	SW 2.1 ft @ 13s
7 AM	WSW 1.7 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftrising	SSW 2.1 ft @ 13s
8 AM	WNW 1.2 ktonshore	4 ftnear high	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
9 AM	NW 2.1 ktonshore	4 ftfalling	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
10 AM	WNW 3.9 ktonshore	3.5 ftfalling	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
11 AM	WNW 5.8 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
Noon	WNW 8 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
1 PM	WNW 8.4 ktonshore	2.5 ftnear low	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
2 PM	WNW 9.2 ktonshore	2.5 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
3 PM	WNW 10.2 ktonshore	3 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
4 PM	NW 10 ktonshore	3.5 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
5 PM	NW 7.8 ktonshore	4 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 12s
6 PM	NW 6.9 ktonshore	4.5 ftrising	SW 2.2 ft @ 10s
7 PM	NW 6.6 ktonshore	5 ftnear high	WSW 2.4 ft @ 7s
8 PM	NW 5.7 ktonshore	4.5 ftfalling	WNW 2.4 ft @ 5s
9 PM	NNW 5 ktonshore	4 ftfalling	W 2.4 ft @ 5s
10 PM	NNW 4.5 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	W 2.5 ft @ 4s
11 PM	NW 2.9 ktonshore	2.5 ftfalling	W 2.5 ft @ 4s

12 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 5.7 ktonshoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.2 ft @ 4s

1 AMUnavailable

WindNNW 1.7 ktonshoreTide0.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellW 2.2 ft @ 6s

2 AMUnavailable

WindN 0.8 ktonshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellW 2.2 ft @ 7s

3 AMUnavailable

WindWSW 1.2 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellWSW 2.1 ft @ 9s

4 AMUnavailable

WindW 2.9 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 11s

5 AMUnavailable

WindN 1 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.0 ft @ 12s

6 AMUnavailable

WindSW 2.2 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 13s

7 AMUnavailable

WindWSW 1.7 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.1 ft @ 13s

8 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 1.2 ktonshoreTide4 ftnear highOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

9 AMUnavailable

WindNW 2.1 ktonshoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

10 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 3.9 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

11 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 5.8 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

NoonUnavailable

WindWNW 8 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

1 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 8.4 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

2 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 9.2 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

3 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 10.2 ktonshoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

4 PMUnavailable

WindNW 10 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

5 PMUnavailable

WindNW 7.8 ktonshoreTide4 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 12s

6 PMUnavailable

WindNW 6.9 ktonshoreTide4.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 10s

7 PMUnavailable

WindNW 6.6 ktonshoreTide5 ftnear highOffshore swellWSW 2.4 ft @ 7s

8 PMUnavailable

WindNW 5.7 ktonshoreTide4.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 2.4 ft @ 5s

9 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 5 ktonshoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.4 ft @ 5s

10 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 4.5 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.5 ft @ 4s

11 PMUnavailable

WindNW 2.9 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellW 2.5 ft @ 4s

Tide

NOAA La Jolla 9410230 · 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: 32.87, -117.25.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 315° · Location provenance

Model request point: Scripps Pier (32.87, -117.25). 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
CDIP 201 / NDBC 46254 Scripps Nearshore
CDIP 201 / NDBC 46254 Scripps Nearshore; CDIP measured significant wave height (Hs) at the assigned nearshore buoy; not breaking-wave face heightCurrentSep 22, 4:30 PM PDT
NOAA NDBC real-time station files
NWS, CDIP/NDBC, and NOAA sources are assigned independently by reviewed shore and distance.UnavailableNo source time
NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
NOAA La Jolla 9410230 · 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, 5:31 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.