Point
right
Level 2/10

San Onofre

San Clemente, USA
👥Crowded

San Onofre is the birthplace of California surf culture—a mellow point break where surfers have gathered since the 1930s, establishing the beach-going, wave-riding lifestyle that would define a generation. Old Man's section provides gentle, forgiving waves perfect for longboarding, while the general atmosphere retains an old-school camaraderie that has become rare at most crowded California breaks. The summer south swells roll through with metronomic regularity, creating the kind of easy, accessible surfing that introduces beginners to the sport and keeps veterans returning for pure soul sessions.

San Onofre surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Today9
75
Good
1.1m@13s
10km/h
Sat10
76
Good
1.2m@15s
9km/h
Sun11
62
Fair
1.4m@14s
25km/h
Mon12
51
Fair
1.0m@16s
14km/h
Tue13
68
Good
1.2m@16s
12km/h
Wed14
77
Good
1.1m@16s
8km/h
Thu15
80
Firing
1.0m@15s
10km/h
Fri16
81
Firing
0.8m@15s
9km/h
Sat17
76
Good
0.8m@17s
11km/h
Sun18
71
Good
0.9m@17s
10km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 4 km/h · PM 14 km/h
Swell
1.1m
S(191°)
Score: 25/25
Period
13s
Medium period swell
Score: 25/25
Wind
10km/h
W(267°)
Score: 11/25
Weather
23°C
0.0mm9%
First light 6:20amSunrise 6:50amSunset 6:23pmLast light 6:53pm
Secondary0.8mConfidence
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: 10:07am–1:34pm · droppingStrike window: 3:49–6:53pm · 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°
23°
25°
25°
22°
19°
22°
23°
23°
22°
19°
19°
19°
19°
19°
17°
17°
20°
20°
17°
16°
17°
20°
20°
19°
17°
19°
21°
21°
20°
19°
22°
26°
26°
25°
23°
26°
32°
32°
30°
25°
28°
34°
33°
30°
25°
28°
31°
31°
29°
2m1.0
sec
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
swell
windkm/h
3g6
6g6
15g15
15g16
12g14
4g9
1g2
8g8
9g9
7g8
25g25
40g46
27g30
18g18
12g12
12g13
11g14
19g25
16g18
10g10
4g4
6g8
13g14
20g19
13g14
6g4
4g4
10g5
13g8
7g5
5g5
2g5
10g8
18g14
16g17
12g12
11g13
5g13
8g13
6g12
18g17
18g21
12g20
4g9
3g5
13g12
7g8
7g3
14g9
9g10
tidem
2:10am0.2m
8:18am1.8m
2:42pm0.2m
8:46pm1.6m
2:33am0.4m
8:45am1.9m
3:23pm0.1m
9:30pm1.5m
3:01am0.5m
9:11am1.9m
4:03pm0.1m
10:11pm1.3m
3:25am0.5m
9:33am1.8m
4:41pm0.0m
3:46am0.6m
10:02am1.7m
5:21pm0.0m
4:03am0.7m
10:30am1.6m
6:12pm0.1m
1:06am0.8m
11:07am1.4m
7:20pm0.2m
3:30am0.8m
11:50am1.4m
8:42pm0.3m
12:54pm1.3m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

2:10 am
Low tide - 0.22m
8:18 am
High tide - 1.81m
2:42 pm
Low tide - 0.16m
8:46 pm
High tide - 1.63m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

75
Good
Components
Swell Direction13/25
Swell Size25/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind11/25
Raw Score74/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+1
Adjusted Score75/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score75
🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (210°)
Direction range
180° - 250°
Size range
0.5m - 1.8m
Ideal size
1.1m - 1.5m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
N (0°)
Offshore range
315° - 45°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
all
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

18°C

Wetsuit

3/2mm fullsuit

Difficulty

2/10

Crowd level

7/10

Access: San Onofre State Beach. Multiple areas: Old Man's, Dogpatch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at San Onofre?

The San Onofre profile favors the recorded tide range, ideally between 0.3m and 1.5m on the local tide chart. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at San Onofre?

The San Onofre profile uses wind from N (0°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 315° to 45°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at San Onofre?

The San Onofre scoring profile favors swell from SSW (180° to 250°), a swell-height range of 0.5m to 1.8m, and a reference period of 12s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf San Onofre?

The main season at San Onofre is Jun-Sep. A secondary window runs May, Oct. Summer S swells best. Mellow longboard wave.

How do I get to San Onofre?

The spot profile lists SNA as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 40 minutes. San Onofre State Beach. Multiple areas: Old Man's, Dogpatch.

What kind of wave is San Onofre?

San Onofre is a point break, a right-hander. Difficulty is rated 2/10.

Best Season

Peak: Jun-Sep

Secondary: May, Oct

Summer S swells best. Mellow longboard wave.

Getting There

Airport
SNA
Drive time
40 min
Data quality
verified

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Family Travel

🎡Kid Activities
🎯 camping🏖️ Beach play🎯 nature center🎯 hiking🎯 wildlife

Plan a trip around San Onofre

Compare this break with other destinations in these surf guides.

Strike Log

Community Discussion