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Central California Coast · Today

Pismo Beach

When to go

Around 6:00 PM

Windy · Moderate confidence

2.8–2.8 ft · Coastal waves · not surf height

Wind: 6.3 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 10.0 kt · reported gusts up to 11.3 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: 2.7–2.8 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 WNW 10 kt

Tide 4 ft rising

Wave, wind and tide details
CDIP coastal waveWSW 2.7 ft @ 14sECMWF forecast valid Sep 22, 5:00 PM PDTSL097 · significant wave height at 15 m depth · not breaking surfCDIP issued Sep 22, 2:53 PM PDT · upstream model cycle not providedSpectral split: ≥10 s 2.0 ft · <10 s 1.8 ft
Coastal period bands20 s and longer: 0.5 ft · energy-weighted direction 231°14–20 s: 1.6 ft · energy-weighted direction 237°10–14 s: 1.2 ft · energy-weighted direction 239°Under 10 s: 1.8 ft · energy-weighted direction 263°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 2.8 ft @ 8sValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_AngelesMarine grid 35.1250, -120.7083 · offshore model, not a local measurement
Offshore model sea5.4 ft @ 8.5sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles
Model windWNW 10 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-22 17:00 · America/Los_Angeles4.5 kt onshore component
Tide4 ftrisingNOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 10.9 km from Pismo Beach · 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 · 21 km from Pismo Beach4.3 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.

Coastal significant wave height and wind by hour for Pismo Beach; not breaking surf.

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 Pismo Beach
TimeCoastal waves · ~10 mWindTideOffshore swell
SW 2.0 ft @ 18sNNE 3.8 ktoffshore2 ftfallingWNW 2.9 ft @ 5s
SW 2.0 ft @ 18sN 3 ktoffshore1 ftfallingWNW 2.9 ft @ 5s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sN 4.1 ktcross-shore0.5 ftnear lowWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sNNE 4.5 ktoffshore0.5 ftrisingWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sN 4.3 ktcross-shore1.5 ftrisingWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sN 4.5 ktcross-shore2 ftrisingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sNNE 3.3 ktoffshore2.5 ftrisingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sESE 4.1 ktcross-shore3 ftrisingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.1 ft @ 18sE 2.4 ktoffshore3.5 ftrisingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.2 ft @ 18sSW 0.7 ktonshore4 ftfallingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.2 ft @ 17sWSW 2.4 ktonshore4 ftfallingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.2 ft @ 17sWSW 5.8 ktonshore3.5 ftfallingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
SW 2.3 ft @ 17sWSW 5.6 ktonshore3 ftfallingWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
WSW 2.3 ft @ 15sW 7.9 ktonshore3 ftfallingWNW 2.9 ft @ 6s
WSW 2.4 ft @ 15sW 10.3 ktcross-shore2.5 ftnear lowWNW 2.8 ft @ 7s
WSW 2.5 ft @ 15sWNW 9.1 ktcross-shore3 ftrisingWNW 2.8 ft @ 7s
WSW 2.6 ft @ 14sWNW 9.9 ktcross-shore3.5 ftrisingWNW 2.8 ft @ 8s
WSW 2.7 ft @ 14sWNW 10 ktcross-shore4 ftrisingWNW 2.8 ft @ 8s
WSW 2.8 ft @ 14sNW 6.3 ktcross-shore4.5 ftrisingWNW 3.3 ft @ 8s
WSW 2.9 ft @ 14sNNW 3.9 ktcross-shore4.5 ftrisingWNW 3.8 ft @ 7s
WSW 3.0 ft @ 14sNE 0.7 ktoffshore5 ftfallingWNW 4.3 ft @ 6s
WSW 3.1 ft @ 14sNNE 2.5 ktoffshore4.5 ftfallingWNW 4.5 ft @ 5s
WSW 3.1 ft @ 14sN 2.2 ktoffshore3.5 ftfallingWNW 4.7 ft @ 6s
WSW 3.2 ft @ 14sENE 1.2 ktoffshore3 ftfallingWNW 4.9 ft @ 6s
2.0 ft coastal waves

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

WindNNE 3.8 ktoffshoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 2.9 ft @ 5s
2.0 ft coastal waves

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

WindN 3 ktoffshoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 2.9 ft @ 5s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindN 4.1 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindNNE 4.5 ktoffshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindN 4.3 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 5s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindN 4.5 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindNNE 3.3 ktoffshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindESE 4.1 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.1 ft coastal waves

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

WindE 2.4 ktoffshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.2 ft coastal waves

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

WindSW 0.7 ktonshoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.2 ft coastal waves

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

WindWSW 2.4 ktonshoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.2 ft coastal waves

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

WindWSW 5.8 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.3 ft coastal waves

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

WindWSW 5.6 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 3.0 ft @ 6s
2.3 ft coastal waves

WSW 15s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindW 7.9 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 2.9 ft @ 6s
2.4 ft coastal waves

WSW 15s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindW 10.3 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellWNW 2.8 ft @ 7s
2.5 ft coastal waves

WSW 15s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindWNW 9.1 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 2.8 ft @ 7s
2.6 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindWNW 9.9 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 2.8 ft @ 8s
2.7 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindWNW 10 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 2.8 ft @ 8s
2.8 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindNW 6.3 ktcross-shoreTide4.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.3 ft @ 8s
2.9 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindNNW 3.9 ktcross-shoreTide4.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 3.8 ft @ 7s
3.0 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindNE 0.7 ktoffshoreTide5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.3 ft @ 6s
3.1 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindNNE 2.5 ktoffshoreTide4.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.5 ft @ 5s
3.1 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindN 2.2 ktoffshoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.7 ft @ 6s
3.2 ft coastal waves

WSW 14s · ECMWF forecast · about 10 m depth, not breaking surf.

WindENE 1.2 ktoffshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.9 ft @ 6s

Tide

NOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 10.9 km from Pismo Beach · MLLW

Tide height by hour for Pismo Beach. Approximate interpolation between predicted high and low events. Heights range from 0.5 to 5 feet.

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: 35.14, -120.64.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 225° · Location provenance

Model request point: Pismo Beach (35.14, -120.64). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

CDIP SL097: 35.1359, -120.6609 · 15.00 m depth · 234° shore normal · shore type 2 · 1528 m transect. CDIP named Pismo Beach Pier output point; exact named beach and aligned southwest-facing transect. CDIP metadata.

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

Official breaking-surf report not connected for Central California CoastUnavailableUnavailable · Unavailable
  • US National Weather Service Surf Zone Forecast
    No assigned NWS county zone covers this spot and selected local date.    UnavailableNo source time
  • Coastal Data Information Program THREDDS
    CDIP SL097 (35.13593, -120.66090; 15 m depth); CDIP named Pismo Beach Pier output point; exact named beach and aligned southwest-facing transect.; significant wave height at mapped coastal depth, not breaking surf    Current
  • Diablo Canyon, CA (076) buoy 46215 · 21 km from Pismo Beach
    Diablo Canyon, CA (076) buoy 46215 · 21 km from Pismo Beach; NDBC significant wave height (Hs) from a buoy in this spot’s checked seaward hemisphere; not breaking-wave face height    Current
  • NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
    NOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 10.9 km from Pismo Beach; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.    Current
  • Open-Meteo Marine API
    1 of 1 configured model points available    Current
  • Open-Meteo Weather API
    1 of 1 configured model points available    Current
  • Surf-Forecast public pages
    Spot discovery and break-specific HTML fallback    Not applicableNo source time
  • Surfline public spot pages
    Break-specific comparison, cams, and metadata    Not 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.