Del Mar
15th Street
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
4–5 ftchest to head
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 9:15 AM Pacific.
then the wind turns onshore
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
Small waves, more fun on a longboard, and light offshore wind is grooming them.
Del Mar surf guide
Del Mar's 15th Street reef, with easy beach peaks up and down town · 3 things to watch
Del Mar guide
Del Mar's 15th Street reef, with easy beach peaks up and down town.
- Good for
- Beginners on the beach peaks; intermediates on the reef.
- The wave
- A reef left with a short right, plus sandbar peaks.
- Watch for
- Summer no-surf zones by open towers.
- Crossing the bluff rail tracks is illegal.
- Crowds at 15th Street on good days.
- Best when
- Best on a SW to WNW swell (225°–300°) with E offshore wind, at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
MoreLess about Del Mar
Longboards at 1.5–4 ft, shortboards at 3–7 ft. Any tide works. Most consistent in fall and winter.
Winter is when it breaks most often. In summer the reef can still grab a south swell that slides past the beaches around it. A dropping tide makes it steeper and quicker.
When 15th Street is crowded, walk up or down the beach: peaks run from about 4th to 25th Street. Runoff is worst by the river mouth at the north end.
- Local tip
- Walk through Powerhouse Park and down the path. Across the street there's a paid lot, and a block north the street spots cost nothing.
GOOD TIDE TODAY8:50–11:00 AM2:40–5:20 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Surfline, Surf-Forecast, Deepswell, Go Visit San Diego, ABC 10News San Diego, City of Del Mar, Mass Transit and County of San Diego.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy Del Mar Nearshore
- WAVES
- 4.2 ft
- PERIOD
- 13s
- FROM
- W 267°
- WATER
- 76°
Observed 1:30 PM · 52 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
4–5 ft · chest to head ·
6 mph onshore · tide 0.8 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 4.2 ft every 13 s from WSW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 4 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 4 mph, gusts 6, offshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 4 mph, gusts 6, offshore | 5.4 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 1 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 6 mph onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 10 mph, gusts 13, onshore | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 9, cross-onshore | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 8, cross | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 7 mph offshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 4.4 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 10, cross-onshore | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 5 mph offshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph cross-offshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph, gusts 11, glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 6 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 5.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph, gusts 7, cross-onshore | 1.1 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph onshore | 0.0 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 11, cross-onshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 9, cross-onshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph offshore | 2.0 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 5.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | 1.7 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph, gusts 10, onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 9, cross-onshore | 1.9 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 2.5 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 5 mph onshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | −0.5 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph onshore | 1.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 2.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 1 mph glassy | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 0 mph, gusts 1, glassy | 5.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | −0.2 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.0 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.8 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 8 mph onshore | 0.4 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 7, onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross | 2.4 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 8:50–11:00 AM2:40–5:20 PM
La Jolla · feet above low water
Swell
Wave forecast checked against the live Del Mar Nearshore buoy.
Updated 2:03 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Del Mar good for beginners?
Yes when it’s small; bigger days suit surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Del Mar?
Any tide works, but it’s best at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
What swell works at Del Mar?
A SW to WNW swell (225°–300°) is best, with E offshore wind. It picks up swell from S to NW (190°–320°). Most consistent in fall and winter.
What board should I ride at Del Mar?
Either works: longboards at 1.5–4 ft, shortboards at 3–7 ft.
What should I watch out for at Del Mar?
Summer no-surf zones by open towers; crossing the bluff rail tracks is illegal; and crowds at 15th Street on good days.