San Clemente Pier
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
3–4 ftwaist to chest
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 7:15 AM Pacific.
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
On the small side for a longboard; light offshore wind is grooming the waves.
Show on chart ↓
Onshore: wind from sea to land. It can make the waves choppy.
Rising tide: the water level is going up; 1.5–4.0 ft is this spot’s best range.
Water temperature is in °F; a swimsuit is enough for warmer water, depending on how cold you feel. This is the latest water reading, not a forecast for the session.
Buoy-checked: a live ocean buoy near this spot keeps this forecast honest.
San Clemente Pier surf guide
San Clemente's downtown pier break, with a wave most days · 2 things to watch
San Clemente Pier guide
San Clemente's downtown pier break, with a wave most days.
- Good for
- Most levels on small days, on any board.
- The wave
- Sandbar peaks beside the pilings, mostly on the north side.
- Watch for
- Rips by the pilings.
- Summer blackball; watch the flags.
- Best when
- Best on a S to W swell (190°–270°) with NE offshore wind, at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
MoreLess about San Clemente Pier
Longboards at 1.5–4 ft, shortboards at 2–5.5 ft. Any tide works. Most consistent in spring and summer.
Fast rights are the draw on a south swell, off a sandbar the pilings hold north of the pier. It often walls up, and a mix of south and west swell gives it the best shape.
The other flank of the pier gets its turn in the cooler months, when a westerly swell builds A-frames there.
Expect company in the water and an audience on the pier above.
- Local tip
- Pay at the Pier Bowl lot or a street meter off Avenida Del Mar. A beach shower stands next to the pier.
GOOD TIDE TODAY8:35–10:50 AM2:30–5:00 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Surf-Forecast, Wavind, San Clemente Guide, Surf in San Clemente and City of San Clemente.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy Capistrano Beach Nearshore
- WAVES
- 3.0 ft
- PERIOD
- 12s
- FROM
- SW 233°
- WATER
- 74°
Observed 1:30 PM · 54 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
3–4 ft · waist to chest ·
6 mph onshore · tide 0.8 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 3.0 ft every 13 s from SW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Epic, shortboard Good, dark hours | 4 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 5 mph offshore | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 6 mph offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross | 3.5 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 6 mph onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 8 mph, gusts 9, cross-onshore | 2.0 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 11, cross-offshore | 4.4 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 15, cross-offshore | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 8, offshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph offshore | 2.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross-onshore | 4.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph, gusts 7, onshore | 0.7 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 1.0 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 17, cross | 3.9 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 3.6 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 1.4 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 7 mph, gusts 12, cross-offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 5, cross | 4.9 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 8 mph cross-onshore | 3.2 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 1.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 7 mph offshore | 5.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 5.4 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 5 mph onshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph cross-onshore | −0.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 6 mph cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 2.2 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph offshore | 5.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 0 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 6 mph onshore | 2.2 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph cross | 1.5 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 1 mph glassy | 3.8 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 2.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 3 mph offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph glassy | 4.7 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 1 mph glassy | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 5 mph onshore | 2.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 5 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph cross-onshore | 0.8 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph glassy | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 3.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 7 mph onshore | 0.4 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 6 mph cross-onshore | 0.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.7 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 8:35–10:50 AM2:30–5:00 PM
San Clemente · feet above low water
Swell
Primary ·
S191°
Secondary ·
W272°
Primary is the main displayed swell by wave energy; another swell can affect this spot more because of its direction.
Period: seconds between waves; longer gaps usually mean more powerful waves, depending on size and direction.
Secondary is another swell in the water; it can add waves from a different direction.
Short period means closely spaced waves; they usually have less push than a similar-size swell with longer gaps.
Wave forecast checked against the live Capistrano Beach Nearshore buoy.
Updated 2:23 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is San Clemente Pier good for beginners?
Yes when it’s small; bigger days suit surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at San Clemente Pier?
Any tide works, but it’s best at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
What swell works at San Clemente Pier?
A S to W swell (190°–270°) is best, with NE offshore wind. It picks up swell from S to WNW (170°–295°). Most consistent in spring and summer.
What board should I ride at San Clemente Pier?
Either works: longboards at 1.5–4 ft, shortboards at 2–5.5 ft.
What should I watch out for at San Clemente Pier?
Rips by the pilings; and summer blackball, so watch the flags.