🇺🇸 La Jolla, California
Windansea Beach Surf Report
Live conditions · Updated every 30 minutes · Always free
Last updated: 1:00 PM PDT
8
/10
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Great surf today. waist to chest high waves (3.1ft), glassy conditions, incoming tide. Consistent and clean — well worth the session.
⏱ Best time to paddle out
5AM – 7AM
Score 8/10 · Great
Current Conditions
Wave Height
3.1ft
0.94m open ocean · 0.62m swell
Breaking waves typically 60–80% of this
Swell Period
13.2s
✓ Groundswell
Wind
Glassy
N · Perfect surface ✓
Water Temp
63°F
17°C · 2/2mm or 3/2mm wetsuit
Current Tide
2.57ft
↑ Rising · MLLW
Best Window Today
5AM–7AM
Score 8/10 · Great
Today's Surf Timeline
Hourly surf score from 5am to 9pm. Taller bar = better conditions. Best window highlighted in teal.
5AM
8
3.3ft
6AM
8
3.3ft
7AM
8
3.3ft
8AM
7
3.2ft
9AM
7
3.2ft
10AM
8
3.1ft
11AM
8
3.1ft
12PM
8
3.1ft
1PM
8
3.1ft
2PM
8
3.1ft
3PM
8
3.1ft
4PM
8
3.1ft
5PM
8
3.1ft
6PM
8
3.1ft
7PM
8
3.1ft
8PM
8
3.1ft
9PM
8
3.1ft
■ Epic/Great
■ Good
■ Fair
■ Poor
Today's Tides
Low Tide
7:13 AM
-1.173 ft
High Tide
2:17 PM
3.4 ft
Low Tide
6:19 PM
2.523 ft
Tide data from NOAA station — La Jolla, California. Times shown in Pacific Time.
Windansea Beach Surf Guide
Break type Reef Break
Skill level Intermediate to Advanced
Best season October – March
Best swell NW to WNW, 4–8 ft, 12+ second period
Best wind Offshore ENE, early morning
Best tide Low to mid tide
Crowds Heavy — strong local crew, respect the lineup
Parking Neptune Place street parking — free, arrive before 7am weekends.
Windansea Beach is San Diego's most storied surf break — a shallow reef immortalised in Tom Wolfe's "The Pump House Gang." The break responds to NW groundswells and throws hollow, fast-moving peaks that demand quick reflexes. Low to mid tide is the sweet spot. Not for beginners.
Best Months to Surf Windansea Beach
Jan
Peak NW swell season, powerful reef waves
Feb
Consistent NW groundswell continues
Mar
Transition month, still solid NW potential
Apr
Swells easing, variable conditions
May
Small and inconsistent
Jun
June Gloom, small S swells only
Jul
S swell can light up the reef
Aug
Best S swells, warm water
Sep
S + NW combo, excellent conditions
Oct
Peak season — NW swells arrive in force
Nov
Strong NW groundswell, offshore winds
Dec
Powerful NW surf, cold mornings