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Sunset Cliffs

San Diego County, United States · Surf Forecast

Scored for
Board
Level
2
Now · Shortboard · Intermediate
Poor
Ankle high · Textured · NW
Wave
0.4m
Period
12.8s
Wind
5 km/h Cross
Tide
Rising

Tide · today

Falling
2.2m17h18h19h20h21h

5-day forecast

Scored for Shortboard · Intermediate · times in America/Los_Angeles local

Friday

7 Aug
17:00
0.3m
13.7s
12 km/h
Onshore
18:00
0.3m
13.7s
11 km/h
Onshore
21:00
0.3m
13.5s
9 km/h
Onshore

Saturday

8 Aug
06:00
0.4m
12.8s
5 km/h
Cross
09:00
0.4m
12.9s
7 km/h
Onshore
12:00
0.4m
12.9s
15 km/h
Onshore
15:00
0.4m
12.9s
17 km/h
Onshore
18:00
0.4m
12.9s
14 km/h
Onshore
21:00
0.7m
12.8s
10 km/h
Onshore

Sunday

9 Aug
06:00
0.6m
12.4s
4 km/h
Cross
09:00
0.4m
12.3s
6 km/h
Cross
12:00
0.4m
12.3s
13 km/h
Onshore
15:00
0.4m
12.2s
13 km/h
Onshore
18:00
0.4m
12.2s
9 km/h
Onshore
21:00
0.4m
12.1s
5 km/h
Onshore

Monday

10 Aug
06:00
0.4m
11.8s
3 km/h
Cross
09:00
0.3m
11.3s
5 km/h
Cross
12:00
0.3m
11.1s
11 km/h
Onshore
15:00
0.3m
11.1s
12 km/h
Onshore
18:00
0.3m
10.9s
8 km/h
Cross
21:00
0.3m
10.8s
4 km/h
Onshore

Tuesday

11 Aug
06:00
0.3m
10.2s
6 km/h
Cross
09:00
0.3m
10.1s
7 km/h
Cross
12:00
0.3m
10.1s
10 km/h
Onshore
15:00
0.4m
10s
12 km/h
Onshore
18:00
0.4m
10s
8 km/h
Onshore
21:00
0.4m
9.8s
6 km/h
Cross

Wednesday

12 Aug
06:00
0.4m
9.9s
7 km/h
Cross
09:00
0.4m
9.8s
9 km/h
Cross
12:00
0.4m
9.8s
12 km/h
Onshore
15:00
0.4m
9.8s
13 km/h
Onshore
16:00
0.4m
9.8s
12 km/h
Onshore

About Sunset Cliffs

Sunset Cliffs is a reef break in San Diego County, United States. It's at its best on 0.6–1.7999999999999998m swells from the SW / W / NW with light offshore winds from the NE / E / SE, around low to mid tide. Every hour is scored for your board and skill level, so the rating reflects how it suits what you ride — not a one-size-fits-all star.

Break type
Reef
Bottom
Unknown
Best tide
low,mid
Best swell direction
SW, W, NW
Best wind direction
NE, E, SE
Ideal wave size
0.6m – 1.7999999999999998m

Sunset Cliffs surf FAQ

Is Sunset Cliffs good for beginners?+

Sunset Cliffs is a reef break, usually breaking in the 0.6–1.7999999999999998m range, and how suitable it is for beginners really depends on the size and power on the day — not a fixed label. Set the level to Beginner above and WaveCheck flags the smaller, cleaner hours worth paddling out for.

What's the best board for Sunset Cliffs?+

Different days call for different boards. Sunset Cliffs handles a range of boards — a longboard or fish when it's small, a shortboard when there's more push. Tap through the boards above to see the live score for whatever you'll be riding.

What tide is best for surfing Sunset Cliffs?+

Sunset Cliffs tends to work best around low to mid tide. The tide chart above shows the current stage plus the next high and low, so you can time your session.

What are the best conditions for Sunset Cliffs?+

Look for 0.6–1.7999999999999998m of swell from the SW / W / NW with light offshore winds from the NE / E / SE. The 5-day forecast above scores every hour, so you can spot the window at a glance.

Nearby surf spots

Never miss it firing at Sunset Cliffs

Set your board once in the app and every forecast is scored for you — plus alerts the moment your spots turn on, favourites, and 10-day forecasts.