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
Today12
33
Poor
0.8m@13s
10km/h
Thu13
35
Poor
0.9m@13s
9km/h
Fri14
32
Poor
1.1m@16s
13km/h
Sat15
35
Poor
1.2m@16s
13km/h
Sun16
35
Poor
1.1m@16s
12km/h
Mon17
32
Poor
0.9m@15s
13km/h
Tue18
70
Good
0.9m@14s
12km/h
Wed19
64
Fair
1.1m@15s
15km/h
Thu20
63
Fair
0.9m@15s
14km/h
Fri21
33
Poor
0.6m@15s
12km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 3 km/h · PM 12 km/h
Swell
0.8m
SSW(199°)
Score: 10/25
Period
13s
Medium period swell
Score: 23/25
Wind
10km/h
W(262°)
Score: 9/25
Weather
23°C
0.0mm95%
First light 5:40amSunrise 6:10amSunset 7:38pmLast light 8:08pm
Windswell0.1m@1sSecondary0.2mConfidence
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: 5:40–8:00am · risingStrike window: 11:31am–5:38pm · through lowIdeal 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
20°
23°
24°
24°
22°
21°
21°
22°
22°
22°
20°
23°
25°
25°
24°
18°
23°
26°
26°
24°
19°
24°
27°
27°
25°
20°
24°
28°
28°
26°
22°
26°
30°
30°
27°
22°
25°
27°
26°
24°
21°
24°
27°
26°
25°
20°
24°
27°
27°
24°
2m1.0
sec
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
swell
windkm/h
3g3
3g5
11g12
14g16
11g13
4g10
7g8
11g12
14g16
12g13
4g3
6g3
20g12
19g14
15g12
2g1
5g3
20g11
18g14
13g11
2g2
5g3
19g11
18g15
14g12
2g1
5g4
17g13
21g20
13g14
1g1
5g3
17g12
19g16
12g10
8g7
10g9
20g17
19g18
14g12
6g7
10g11
19g16
18g17
12g11
2g1
5g4
18g11
19g15
14g12
tidem
3:22am0.0m
9:44am1.8m
2:50pm0.8m
8:58pm2.5m
3:57am0.1m
10:15am1.9m
3:37pm0.8m
9:45pm2.3m
4:30am0.2m
10:50am1.9m
4:26pm0.7m
10:30pm2.1m
5:00am0.4m
11:22am1.9m
5:18pm0.7m
5:26am0.6m
11:55am1.9m
6:15pm0.8m
5:51am0.8m
12:35pm1.9m
7:23pm0.8m
1:04am1.4m
6:15am0.9m
1:12pm1.8m
8:54pm0.8m
3:00am1.2m
6:30am1.1m
2:10pm1.8m
6:30am1.2m
3:30pm1.8m
7:30am1.3m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

3:22 am
Low tide - 0.00m
9:44 am
High tide - 1.77m
2:50 pm
Low tide - 0.85m
8:58 pm
High tide - 2.47m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

33
Poor
Components
Swell Direction0/25
Swell Size10/25
Swell Period23/25
Wind9/25
Raw Score42/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+1
⚠️ Weak Component-10
Adjusted Score33/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score33
🌊 Partly in the tide window👥 Summer Break

Plan Your Strike

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

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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