Beach
both
Level 4/10

Oceanside

San Diego County, USA
👥Crowded🌀Strong rips

Oceanside is San Diego County's accessible workhorse—a consistent beach break where the pier focuses swell energy and creates reliable peaks for surfers of all abilities. The wide sandy beach provides easy entry and exit, while the pier itself creates a defined takeoff zone that helps beginners position themselves. Camp Pendleton to the north adds an interesting backdrop, and the working-class beach town atmosphere provides a more authentic California experience than some of the wealthier coastal communities. Year-round waves make Oceanside a reliable daily driver.

10-Day Forecast
Sat8
37
Poor
0.8m@16s
11km/h
Today9
37
Poor
0.9m@16s
11km/h
Mon10
37
Poor
0.8m@15s
10km/h
Tue11
32
Poor
0.7m@14s
12km/h
Wed12
29
Poor
0.8m@13s
12km/h
Thu13
29
Poor
0.8m@13s
12km/h
Fri14
36
Poor
0.9m@15s
10km/h
Sat15
43
Poor
1.0m@17s
6km/h
Sun16
33
Poor
1.0m@15s
13km/h
Mon17
23
Poor
0.9m@14s
15km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 3 km/h · PM 15 km/h · Low tide at 10am (1.3m)
Swell
0.8m
SSW(200°)
Score: 10/25
Period
16s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
11km/h
W(274°)
Score: 7/25
Weather
24°C
0.0mm41%
First light 5:37amSunrise 6:07amSunset 7:42pmLast light 8:12pm
Windswell0.1m@1sSecondary0.4mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:37am–1:12pm · risingIdeal tide: 0.3–1.5m
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
19°
24°
26°
26°
25°
20°
24°
25°
24°
23°
20°
21°
24°
25°
27°
22°
26°
29°
29°
27°
21°
25°
28°
27°
25°
20°
24°
26°
26°
24°
21°
23°
26°
26°
23°
22°
23°
25°
25°
23°
22°
24°
28°
27°
24°
21°
24°
28°
28°
25°
2m1.0
sec
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
swell
windkm/h
4g7
3g3
14g14
18g19
12g14
5g8
7g8
14g16
15g17
11g14
2g5
5g5
12g13
15g16
13g10
3g2
7g3
18g7
20g15
13g10
3g3
4g4
17g11
17g16
13g11
2g3
5g6
18g9
18g14
15g13
4g1
4g3
14g7
17g11
8g12
1g3
7g5
8g10
5g16
4g13
3g4
5g4
18g11
20g19
16g15
5g3
8g4
18g12
24g19
19g15
tidem
12:34am0.4m
7:23am1.4m
5:38pm2.3m
1:22am0.3m
8:06am1.5m
12:03pm1.2m
6:36pm2.4m
2:07am0.1m
8:39am1.6m
1:05pm1.1m
7:27pm2.5m
2:46am0.0m
9:11am1.7m
2:00pm0.9m
8:15pm2.5m
3:22am0.0m
9:43am1.8m
2:50pm0.8m
9:00pm2.5m
3:57am0.1m
10:14am1.9m
3:36pm0.8m
9:44pm2.4m
4:30am0.2m
10:47am1.9m
4:26pm0.7m
10:26pm2.1m
5:00am0.4m
11:22am1.9m
5:18pm0.7m
5:30am0.6m
11:55am1.9m
6:15pm0.8m
5:51am0.8m
12:30pm1.9m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

12:34 am
Low tide - 0.41m
7:23 am
High tide - 1.42m
10:30 am
Low tide - 1.28m
5:38 pm
High tide - 2.28m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

37
Poor
Components
Swell Direction0/25
Swell Size10/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind7/25
Raw Score42/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+5
⚠️ Weak Component-10
Adjusted Score37/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score37
🌊 Optimal tide window👥 Summer Break

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to SAN, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

Search Flights on Skyscanner
See where's firing right nowToday's best waves worldwide, scored live
Free Strike Report

Know when North America is about to fire

Get the best strike windows in North America — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.

Free forever. Two emails a week. Unsubscribe anytime.

For real surf travel

Get the full Oceanside trip window

Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.

10-day window

See the trip window before flights get expensive.

Unlimited alerts

Let the app watch your score threshold for you.

Custom spots

Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
W (270°)
Direction range
240° - 310°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
ENE (70°)
Offshore range
30° - 110°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
low to mid
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

17°C

Wetsuit

3/2mm fullsuit

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

7/10

👥 Summer Break (Jun 15Aug 25) — expect extra crowds

Access: Easy beach access. Pier and multiple peaks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Oceanside?

Oceanside works best on a low to mid tide, ideally between 0.3m and 1.5m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.

What wind direction is offshore at Oceanside?

Offshore wind at Oceanside blows from the ENE (70°). Anything in the 30° to 110° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.

What swell size and direction work best at Oceanside?

Oceanside wants W swell (240° to 310°) between 0.6m and 2.5m, with a period of 14s or more for quality waves.

When is the best time of year to surf Oceanside?

The main season at Oceanside is Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. A secondary window runs Jul-Sep. Year-round. Pier focuses swell energy.

How do I get to Oceanside?

Fly into SAN, then allow about 40 minutes by road. Easy beach access. Pier and multiple peaks.

What kind of wave is Oceanside?

Oceanside is a beach break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 4/10.

Best Season

Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Jul-Sep

Year-round. Pier focuses swell energy.

Getting There

Airport
SAN
Drive time
40 min
Data quality
verified

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Family Travel

🎡Kid Activities
🎯 pier fishing🏖️ Beach play🎯 bike rentals🎯 legoland🎯 zoo

Strike Log

Community Discussion