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Central and South San Diego · Today

Sunset Cliffs

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 4:40 PM PDT

When to go

Around 6:00 PM

Windy · Low confidence

3.5–3.5 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Wind: 7.2 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 8.2 kt · reported gusts up to 10.3 kt
Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. The selected wind is unfavorable for this break.
Offshore waves: 3.5–3.5 ft across the period. Surf height unavailable. Tide data unavailable.
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 3.0 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.
Tide unavailable: assessment incomplete, especially at shallow reef breaks.
A mapped coordinate does not establish nearshore grid resolution or terrain/shelter accuracy.

Wind NW 8.2 kt

Tide Unavailable

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 12sValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_AngelesMarine grid 32.7083, -117.2917 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea3.5 ft @ 9.3sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles

Model windNW 8.2 ktonshoreValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles5.8 kt onshore component

TideUnavailableunavailableNo verified local tide station connected; no tide height estimated

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 Sunset Cliffs
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	NW 5 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.2 ft @ 11s
1 AM	NNW 3.7 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.2 ft @ 11s
2 AM	NW 3.3 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.2 ft @ 12s
3 AM	WNW 2 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.2 ft @ 12s
4 AM	N 1.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.1 ft @ 13s
5 AM	NNE 1.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.1 ft @ 14s
6 AM	WSW 3.4 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.1 ft @ 14s
7 AM	NE 1.9 ktoffshore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.1 ft @ 14s
8 AM	N 2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.1 ft @ 14s
9 AM	NW 4.3 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.2 ft @ 14s
10 AM	NW 4.8 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.2 ft @ 13s
11 AM	NW 5.1 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 13s
Noon	WNW 7.5 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 13s
1 PM	WNW 8.6 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 13s
2 PM	WNW 9.2 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 13s
3 PM	NW 10 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 13s
4 PM	NW 10.1 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 13s
5 PM	NW 8.2 ktonshore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.3 ft @ 12s
6 PM	NW 7.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.4 ft @ 11s
7 PM	NNW 6.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	WSW 2.4 ft @ 8s
8 PM	NNW 5.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	W 2.5 ft @ 7s
9 PM	NNW 5.8 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	WSW 2.5 ft @ 8s
10 PM	NNW 5.8 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SW 2.5 ft @ 9s
11 PM	NNW 5 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 2.5 ft @ 10s

12 AMUnavailable

WindNW 5 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 11s

1 AMUnavailable

WindNNW 3.7 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 11s

2 AMUnavailable

WindNW 3.3 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 12s

3 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 2 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 12s

4 AMUnavailable

WindN 1.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 13s

5 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 1.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 14s

6 AMUnavailable

WindWSW 3.4 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 14s

7 AMUnavailable

WindNE 1.9 ktoffshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 14s

8 AMUnavailable

WindN 2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 14s

9 AMUnavailable

WindNW 4.3 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 14s

10 AMUnavailable

WindNW 4.8 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 13s

11 AMUnavailable

WindNW 5.1 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 13s

NoonUnavailable

WindWNW 7.5 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 13s

1 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 8.6 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 13s

2 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 9.2 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 13s

3 PMUnavailable

WindNW 10 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 13s

4 PMUnavailable

WindNW 10.1 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 13s

5 PMUnavailable

WindNW 8.2 ktonshoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.3 ft @ 12s

6 PMUnavailable

WindNW 7.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.4 ft @ 11s

7 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 6.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellWSW 2.4 ft @ 8s

8 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 5.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellW 2.5 ft @ 7s

9 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 5.8 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellWSW 2.5 ft @ 8s

10 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 5.8 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSW 2.5 ft @ 9s

11 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 5 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 2.5 ft @ 10s

Tide

Local tide station unavailable

Tide predictions are unavailable for this period.

About this spot

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

Mapped spot coordinate: 32.71, -117.26.

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

Model request point: Sunset Cliffs (32.71, -117.26). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 2/6 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

Official breaking-surf report not connected for Central and South San DiegoUnavailableUnavailable · Unavailable

US National Weather Service Surf Zone Forecast
Official surf forecast unavailableUnavailableNo source time
Coastal Data Information Program THREDDS
No exact named CDIP mapping is available.UnavailableNo source time
NOAA NDBC real-time station files
Nearby buoy observation unavailableUnavailableNo source time
NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
Tide predictions unavailable for the selected dayUnavailableNo source time
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.