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
Today7
54
Fair
0.6m@15s
12km/h
Sun8
65
Good
0.6m@17s
7km/h
Mon9
44
Poor
0.7m@16s
9km/h
Tue10
53
Fair
0.8m@14s
7km/h
Wed11
66
Good
0.7m@15s
7km/h
Thu12
71
Good
0.7m@15s
7km/h
Fri13
52
Fair
0.8m@16s
7km/h
Sat14
68
Good
1.0m@14s
11km/h
Sun15
64
Fair
0.9m@14s
11km/h
Mon16
49
Fair
0.8m@15s
17km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 7 km/h · PM 12 km/h
Swell
0.6m
WSW(240°)
Score: 13/25
Period
15s
Groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
12km/h
WNW(292°)
Score: 9/25
Weather
24°C
0.0mm0%
First light 5:44amSunrise 6:14amSunset 4:53pmLast light 5:23pm
Windswell
0.1m@1s
Secondary
0.4m
Confidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
Swell0.6m @15s WSW in window
Wind12 km/h WNW cross-shore
SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore
Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 8:48–11:55am · droppingStrike window: 3:21–5:23pm · 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
20°
24°
27°
26°
22°
20°
26°
29°
27°
22°
21°
26°
27°
26°
23°
20°
25°
27°
26°
23°
20°
26°
27°
26°
23°
20°
25°
27°
26°
22°
20°
25°
27°
26°
24°
20°
21°
21°
20°
18°
17°
19°
21°
20°
19°
17°
19°
20°
20°
18°
2m1.0
sec
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
swell
windkm/h
6g8
8g18
20g23
17g22
7g12
3g3
1g12
11g11
14g16
3g9
9g9
3g7
11g7
12g10
7g5
3g4
1g3
11g7
13g10
6g5
5g7
1g5
10g6
10g9
6g5
4g5
3g1
11g5
11g9
4g4
9g10
3g8
10g12
8g9
3g6
9g7
23g18
8g15
6g13
5g5
9g8
12g12
15g16
10g12
6g6
4g4
19g17
25g22
17g16
11g9
tidem
6:42am1.9m
1:37pm0.0m
7:51pm1.4m
12:55am0.6m
7:07am1.9m
2:13pm0.0m
8:35pm1.3m
1:24am0.7m
7:33am1.9m
2:48pm0.0m
9:19pm1.3m
1:48am0.8m
8:03am1.9m
3:26pm0.0m
10:03pm1.2m
2:12am0.9m
8:34am1.9m
4:04pm0.1m
2:30am1.0m
9:05am1.9m
4:50pm0.3m
3:00am1.1m
9:36am1.8m
5:43pm0.4m
1:30am1.2m
10:15am1.7m
6:37pm0.4m
3:00am1.2m
11:18am1.5m
7:37pm0.4m
3:54am1.3m
12:18pm1.4m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

6:42 am
High · 1.91m
1:37 pm
Low · 0.04m
7:51 pm
High · 1.36m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

54
Fair
Components
Swell Direction9/25
Swell Size13/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind9/25
Raw Score56/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+1
💨 Gusty Wind-3
Adjusted Score54/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score54
🌊 Partly in the tide 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 kind of wave is San Onofre?

San Onofre is a point break in San Clemente, USA, that mostly breaks right.

What swell works best at San Onofre?

San Onofre picks up swell from the S round to the WSW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SSW. It starts working at around 0.5m and handles up to about 1.8m, with the sweet spot around 1.1 to 1.5m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at San Onofre?

A N wind is dead offshore at San Onofre, and anything from the NW round to the NE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 5am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at San Onofre?

San Onofre has a preferred tide range, roughly 0.3m to 1.5m on the local chart.

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

The most reliable run of swell at San Onofre comes Jun to Sep. There's a second window in May and Oct too. Summer S swells best. Mellow longboard wave.

How cold is the water at San Onofre?

The water at San Onofre averages around 18°C, so you'll want a 3/2mm fullsuit. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is San Onofre good for beginners?

Yes, it's one of the friendlier waves around, rated 2/10 for difficulty. It gets busy (crowd 7/10), so mind the pecking order. Crowded but friendly. Old-school longboard vibe.

How do I get to San Onofre?

The nearest airport on our list is SNA, then it's roughly a 40-minute drive. San Onofre State Beach. Multiple areas: Old Man's, Dogpatch.

What other surf spots are near San Onofre?

The closest breaks we track are Lower Trestles (3.3 km), Oceanside (26 km) and The Wedge (39 km), handy when San Onofre isn't working.

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

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Strike Log

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