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
Today23
73
Good
0.8m@16s
10km/h
Thu24
75
Good
0.8m@15s
10km/h
Fri25
85
Firing
1.0m@14s
9km/h
Sat26
85
Firing
1.4m@12s
8km/h
Sun27
86
Firing
1.3m@13s
8km/h
Mon28
68
Good
1.0m@13s
11km/h
Tue29
78
Good
1.2m@14s
9km/h
Wed30
68
Good
1.0m@13s
12km/h
Thu1
61
Fair
0.8m@11s
11km/h
Fri2
26
Poor
0.6m@7s
8km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 5 km/h · PM 12 km/h
Swell
0.8m
SSW(198°)
Score: 17/25
Period
16s
Long period groundswell
Score: 23/25
Wind
10km/h
W(264°)
Score: 11/25
Weather
21°C
0.0mm20%
First light 6:09amSunrise 6:39amSunset 6:45pmLast light 7:15pm
Secondary0.4mConfidence
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: 6:09am–6:05pm · 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
16°
22°
24°
23°
20°
18°
21°
23°
23°
24°
21°
25°
28°
29°
25°
21°
27°
30°
30°
27°
21°
25°
28°
28°
25°
21°
22°
25°
24°
22°
20°
27°
33°
32°
28°
25°
30°
34°
33°
31°
24°
29°
31°
31°
29°
23°
27°
30°
29°
25°
2m1.0
sec
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
swell
windkm/h
6g10
5g7
15g15
15g16
8g9
4g9
2g2
13g13
13g13
8g7
4g3
5g1
14g9
15g14
8g8
1g2
4g2
14g9
14g12
9g9
3g2
4g4
7g3
17g12
8g7
7g5
7g6
13g9
15g10
8g7
6g8
4g12
9g13
15g12
8g8
7g8
3g7
12g8
22g17
15g16
3g3
4g4
11g10
18g18
14g14
4g4
4g5
12g7
12g9
6g6
tidem
1:38am0.0m
8:02am1.3m
1:24pm0.6m
7:18pm1.6m
2:01am0.0m
8:18am1.4m
1:55pm0.4m
7:55pm1.6m
2:22am0.1m
8:37am1.5m
2:30pm0.3m
8:30pm1.6m
2:43am0.1m
8:54am1.7m
3:07pm0.1m
9:10pm1.5m
3:06am0.2m
9:18am1.8m
3:46pm0.1m
9:52pm1.4m
3:30am0.4m
9:45am1.8m
4:30pm0.0m
3:56am0.5m
10:17am1.9m
5:26pm0.1m
4:24am0.7m
10:58am1.9m
6:25pm0.2m
1:04am1.1m
4:55am0.8m
11:50am1.8m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

1:38 am
Low tide - 0.01m
8:02 am
High tide - 1.32m
1:24 pm
Low tide - 0.56m
7:18 pm
High tide - 1.62m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

73
Good
Components
Swell Direction17/25
Swell Size17/25
Swell Period23/25
Wind11/25
Raw Score68/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+5
Adjusted Score73/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score73
🌊 Optimal 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