Ocean Beach SF is California's cold-water crucible—a powerful beach break directly exposed to the full fetch of the North Pacific, where San Francisco's most committed surfers battle freezing water, closeout sets, and the knowledge that great white sharks patrol these waters. The wave is not for the faint-hearted: massive paddle-outs, heavy lips, and conditions that can go from fun to survival in minutes. But when winter storms send clean groundswells and east winds blow offshore, OB delivers some of Northern California's most powerful beach break surfing.
Water temp
13°C
Wetsuit
4/3mm fullsuit
Difficulty
8/10
Crowd level
5/10
Access: Beach parking along Great Highway.
Forecasts are validated against real-time buoy data.
Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Secondary: Sep, Apr
Big swells year-round. Massive in winter storms.
Verified by Surfline spot guide
How well swell angle matches the spot
Wave height in the ideal range
Each spot has different period requirements. Points and reefs can handle longer periods than beaches.
Offshore/glassy conditions