Central California Coast · Wednesday, Sep 23

Sandspit

NWS LOX · San Luis Obispo County Beaches / Santa Barbara Central Coast Beaches; official reef-face range: 4–7 ft

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 5:20 PM PDT

When to go

7:00 AM–9:00 AM

Looks good · Low confidence

6.5–6.6 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Wind: 5.0 kt · cross-shore

Forecast details

Light wind should keep the water smoother.

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.

4:00 PM–6:00 PM · America/Los_Angeles
Light wind · up to 4.7 kt · reported gusts up to 9.9 kt
Offshore waves: 6.2–6.3 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 1.0 km from the mapped spot. Provider grid resolution is not established for this response.
Reference model hour: 15 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 N 2.7 kt

Tide 3.5 ft rising

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 7sValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/Los_AngelesMarine grid 35.2917, -120.8750 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea6.6 ft @ 9.4sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/Los_Angeles

Model windN 2.7 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/Los_Angeles1.2 kt onshore component

Tide3.5 ftrisingNOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 18.5 km from Sandspit · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 5:28 PM PDT · provider issue time unavailable80% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating

NWS LOX · San Luis Obispo County Beaches / Santa Barbara Central Coast Beaches

Surf Height...................4 to 7 feet. Thunderstorm Potential........None expected. Water Temperature.............62 to 64 degrees. Tides.........................Low 0.2 feet (MLLW) 03:49 AM PDT. High 4.3 feet (MLLW) 10:17 AM PDT. Low 2.1 feet (MLLW) 03:39 PM PDT. High 5.2 feet (MLLW) 09:35 PM PDT. Remarks.......................West swell.

THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAYOfficial county coastal-zone breaking-surf range; local sets and individual break transformation remain unresolvedIssued Sep 22, 2:00 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 Sandspit
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	W 3.2 ktonshore	2.5 ftfalling	WNW 5.4 ft @ 6s
1 AM	NW 3.1 ktonshore	1.5 ftfalling	WNW 5.4 ft @ 6s
2 AM	NW 2.8 ktonshore	1 ftfalling	WNW 5.4 ft @ 6s
3 AM	NW 2.6 ktonshore	0.5 ftrising	WNW 5.2 ft @ 6s
4 AM	WNW 2.3 ktonshore	1 ftrising	WNW 5.2 ft @ 6s
5 AM	WNW 1.6 ktonshore	1.5 ftrising	WNW 5.1 ft @ 7s
6 AM	NW 1.1 ktonshore	2.5 ftrising	WNW 5.2 ft @ 7s
7 AM	N 1 ktcross-shore	3 ftrising	WNW 5.4 ft @ 7s
8 AM	N 2.7 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftrising	WNW 5.6 ft @ 7s
9 AM	N 5 ktcross-shore	4 ftnear high	WNW 5.6 ft @ 7s
10 AM	NW 6.4 ktonshore	4 ftfalling	WNW 5.5 ft @ 7s
11 AM	NW 6.9 ktonshore	3.5 ftfalling	WNW 5.4 ft @ 7s
Noon	NW 7.4 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	WNW 5.5 ft @ 7s
1 PM	WNW 6.7 ktonshore	3 ftfalling	WNW 5.6 ft @ 7s
2 PM	WNW 6.2 ktonshore	2.5 ftfalling	WNW 5.7 ft @ 8s
3 PM	W 5.5 ktonshore	2.5 ftrising	WNW 5.6 ft @ 8s
4 PM	W 4.7 ktonshore	3 ftrising	WNW 5.6 ft @ 7s
5 PM	W 4.7 ktonshore	3.5 ftrising	WNW 5.6 ft @ 7s
6 PM	WSW 4 ktonshore	4 ftrising	WNW 5.4 ft @ 7s
7 PM	WSW 2.5 ktonshore	4.5 ftrising	WNW 5.2 ft @ 6s
8 PM	WSW 2.6 ktonshore	5 ftnear high	WNW 5.1 ft @ 6s
9 PM	WSW 3.5 ktcross-shore	5 ftfalling	WNW 4.9 ft @ 6s
10 PM	SW 4.6 ktcross-shore	4 ftfalling	WNW 4.7 ft @ 7s
11 PM	WSW 4.7 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftfalling	WNW 4.5 ft @ 7s

12 AMUnavailable

WindW 3.2 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.4 ft @ 6s

1 AMUnavailable

WindNW 3.1 ktonshoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.4 ft @ 6s

2 AMUnavailable

WindNW 2.8 ktonshoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.4 ft @ 6s

3 AMUnavailable

WindNW 2.6 ktonshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.2 ft @ 6s

4 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 2.3 ktonshoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.2 ft @ 6s

5 AMUnavailable

WindWNW 1.6 ktonshoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.1 ft @ 7s

6 AMUnavailable

WindNW 1.1 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.2 ft @ 7s

7 AMUnavailable

WindN 1 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.4 ft @ 7s

8 AMUnavailable

WindN 2.7 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 7s

9 AMUnavailable

WindN 5 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftnear highOffshore swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 7s

10 AMUnavailable

WindNW 6.4 ktonshoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.5 ft @ 7s

11 AMUnavailable

WindNW 6.9 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.4 ft @ 7s

NoonUnavailable

WindNW 7.4 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.5 ft @ 7s

1 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 6.7 ktonshoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 7s

2 PMUnavailable

WindWNW 6.2 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 5.7 ft @ 8s

3 PMUnavailable

WindW 5.5 ktonshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 8s

4 PMUnavailable

WindW 4.7 ktonshoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 7s

5 PMUnavailable

WindW 4.7 ktonshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.6 ft @ 7s

6 PMUnavailable

WindWSW 4 ktonshoreTide4 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.4 ft @ 7s

7 PMUnavailable

WindWSW 2.5 ktonshoreTide4.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWNW 5.2 ft @ 6s

8 PMUnavailable

WindWSW 2.6 ktonshoreTide5 ftnear highOffshore swellWNW 5.1 ft @ 6s

9 PMUnavailable

WindWSW 3.5 ktcross-shoreTide5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.9 ft @ 6s

10 PMUnavailable

WindSW 4.6 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.7 ft @ 7s

11 PMUnavailable

WindWSW 4.7 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellWNW 4.5 ft @ 7s

Tide

NOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 18.5 km from Sandspit · MLLW

Interpolated tide height Recommended window

About this spot

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

Mapped spot coordinate: 35.3, -120.88.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 292.5° · Location provenance

Model request point: Sandspit (35.3, -120.88). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 4/5 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 LOX · San Luis Obispo County Beaches / Santa Barbara Central Coast Beaches; official reef-face range4–7 ftCurrent · Sep 22, 2:00 PM PDT

NWS LOX · San Luis Obispo County Beaches / Santa Barbara Central Coast Beaches
NWS LOX · San Luis Obispo County Beaches / Santa Barbara Central Coast Beaches; Official county coastal-zone breaking-surf range; local sets and individual break transformation remain unresolvedCurrentSep 22, 2:00 PM PDT
Coastal Data Information Program THREDDS
No exact named CDIP MOP mapping or usable coastal product is available for this spot.UnavailableNo source time
NOAA NDBC real-time station files
Current buoy observations are not forecasts for the selected future date.Not applicableNo source time
NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
NOAA Port San Luis 9412110 · 18.5 km from Sandspit; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.CurrentSep 22, 5:28 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.