Central California Coast · Today

Cayucos

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 4:40 PM PDT

When to go

Around 6:00 PM

Windy · Moderate confidence

3.1–3.1 ft · Coastal waves · not surf height

Wind: 6.6 kt · cross-shore

Forecast details

Waves are forecast to reach this beach.
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 8.4 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.
Coastal waves at about 10 m depth: 3.0–3.1 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.

Wind NW 8.4 kt

Tide 4 ft rising

Wave, wind and tide details

CDIP coastal waveSW 3.0 ft @ 14sECMWF forecast valid Sep 22, 5:00 PM PDTSL400 · significant wave height at 15 m depth · not breaking surfCDIP issued Sep 22, 2:54 PM PDT · upstream model cycle not providedSpectral split: ≥10 s 2.3 ft · <10 s 1.9 ft

Coastal period bands

20 s and longer: 0.6 ft · energy-weighted direction 215°14–20 s: 1.7 ft · energy-weighted direction 218°10–14 s: 1.4 ft · energy-weighted direction 223°Under 10 s: 1.9 ft · energy-weighted direction 259°Band heights combine as energy, not by addition. Period bands are not separately identified swell systems. Forecast omits wave periods shorter than about 4 s.

Offshore model swellWNW 3.6 ft @ 6sValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_AngelesMarine grid 35.3750, -120.8750 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea5.5 ft @ 8.7sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles

Model windNW 8.4 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles3.6 kt offshore component

Tide4 ftrisingNOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 34.3 km from Cayucos · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 4:45 PM PDT · provider issue time unavailable50% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating

Diablo Canyon, CA (076) buoy 46215 · 28 km from Cayucos4.3 ft @ 17sNDBC significant wave height (Hs) from a buoy in this spot’s checked seaward hemisphere; not breaking-wave face heightObserved Sep 22, 3:56 PM PDT

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

Coastal waves and wind

CDIP significant wave height at about 10 m depth. Gaps remain gaps; no breaking-wave range is implied.

Buoy-driven nowcast for available past hours; labeled coastal forecasts for future hours. Changes of source can cause discontinuities. Values and source labels are listed below.Wind arrows point from the reported direction

Hourly forecast

Hourly surf forecast for Cayucos
Time	Coastal waves · ~10 m	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	SW 2.2 ft @ 18s	ENE 2.2 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	WNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
1 AM	SSW 2.3 ft @ 17s	N 2.1 ktoffshore	1 ftfalling	WNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
2 AM	SSW 2.3 ft @ 17s	N 2.7 ktoffshore	0.5 ftnear low	WNW 3.1 ft @ 5s
3 AM	SSW 2.3 ft @ 17s	NE 2.6 ktoffshore	0.5 ftrising	WNW 3.1 ft @ 5s
4 AM	SW 2.3 ft @ 17s	NE 2.3 ktoffshore	1.5 ftrising	WNW 3.1 ft @ 5s
5 AM	SW 2.4 ft @ 17s	E 2.5 ktcross-shore	2 ftrising	WNW 3.1 ft @ 6s
6 AM	SW 2.4 ft @ 17s	SE 2.1 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftrising	WNW 3.1 ft @ 6s
7 AM	SW 2.4 ft @ 17s	S 0.2 ktonshore	3 ftrising	WNW 3.1 ft @ 6s
8 AM	SW 2.5 ft @ 17s	NW 3.3 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftrising	WNW 3.1 ft @ 6s
9 AM	SW 2.5 ft @ 17s	NW 3.1 ktcross-shore	4 ftfalling	WNW 3.1 ft @ 6s
10 AM	SW 2.5 ft @ 17s	NW 4.9 ktcross-shore	4 ftfalling	WNW 3.1 ft @ 6s
11 AM	SW 2.6 ft @ 17s	WNW 6 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftfalling	WNW 3.2 ft @ 6s
Noon	SW 2.6 ft @ 17s	W 6.2 ktcross-shore	3 ftfalling	WNW 3.3 ft @ 6s
1 PM	SW 2.7 ft @ 17s	WNW 8.3 ktcross-shore	3 ftfalling	WNW 3.3 ft @ 6s
2 PM	SW 2.7 ft @ 17s	WNW 8.1 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftnear low	WNW 3.3 ft @ 6s
3 PM	SW 2.8 ft @ 17s	WNW 8.6 ktcross-shore	3 ftrising	WNW 3.4 ft @ 6s
4 PM	SW 2.9 ft @ 14s	NW 8.8 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftrising	WNW 3.5 ft @ 6s
5 PM	SW 3.0 ft @ 14s	NW 8.4 ktcross-shore	4 ftrising	WNW 3.6 ft @ 6s
6 PM	SW 3.1 ft @ 14s	NW 6.6 ktcross-shore	4.5 ftrising	WNW 3.9 ft @ 6s
7 PM	SW 3.2 ft @ 14s	NW 3.8 ktcross-shore	4.5 ftrising	WNW 4.1 ft @ 6s
8 PM	SW 3.3 ft @ 14s	NW 1.2 ktcross-shore	5 ftfalling	WNW 4.4 ft @ 6s
9 PM	SW 3.4 ft @ 14s	SSW 2 ktonshore	4.5 ftfalling	WNW 4.7 ft @ 6s
10 PM	SW 3.5 ft @ 14s	SSE 3 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftfalling	WNW 4.9 ft @ 6s
11 PM	SW 3.6 ft @ 14s	S 2 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	WNW 5.2 ft @ 6s

12 AM2.2 ft coastal waves

SW 18s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindENE 2.2 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s

1 AM2.3 ft coastal waves

SSW 17s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindN 2.1 ktoffshoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s

2 AM2.3 ft coastal waves

SSW 17s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindN 2.7 ktoffshoreTide0.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellWNW 3.1 ft @ 5s

3 AM2.3 ft coastal waves

SSW 17s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindNE 2.6 ktoffshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.1 ft @ 5s

4 AM2.3 ft coastal waves