Ocean Beach SF
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.
Today's Conditions
Location & Conditions
Tide Times
📊 Buoy ValidationWarning
Santa Maria
354 km away
Source: noaa
Strike Score Breakdown
Location & Conditions
Spot Details
Swell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- WNW (290°)
- Direction range
- 260° - 330°
- Size range
- 1m - 5m
- Ideal size
- 3.8m
- Height multiplier
- 0.97×
- Ideal period
- 18s+
Wind Requirements
- Optimal direction
- E (90°)
- Offshore range
- 45° - 135°
- Best window
- morning
Tide Requirements
- Optimal tide
- low to mid
- Optimal range
- 0.5m - 1.5m
Water temp
13°C
Wetsuit
4/3mm fullsuit
Difficulty
8/10
Crowd level
5/10
👥 Spring Break (Mar 14 – Mar 22) — expect extra crowds
Access: Beach parking along Great Highway.
Best Season
Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Secondary: Sep, Apr
Big swells year-round. Massive in winter storms.
Getting There
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