Carlsbad surf forecast
Carlsbad is a west-facing beach break in North County San Diego, and our Tamarack forecast picks up swell from the south round to the north-west. Wide white-sand beaches sit under ocean-side cliffs, and the break works for surfers of all levels.
Carlsbad surf report hour by hour
The table shows wave size, wind and tide for our Tamarack forecast point, hour by hour. Tamarack likes 1 to 2 metre waves, a wind from the east and a mid tide.
Updated 23:58next run 04:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
09:00–10:00 · glassy
Today 2 Nov
Worth it 06-10, clean overhead, glassy.
Best window: 06:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 04:08
- Low
- 09:23
- High
- 15:00
- Low
- 21:57
- Sunrise
- 06:08
- Sunset
- 16:56
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 3 Nov
Go 07-10, clean head-high, glassy.
Best window: 07:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 04:50
- Low
- 10:39
- High
- 16:20
- Low
- 22:42
- Sunrise
- 06:09
- Sunset
- 16:56
Every hour, 05–21
Wednesday 4 Nov
Go 06-10, clean head-high, offshore E.
Best window: 06:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 05:18
- Low
- 11:30
- High
- 17:20
- Low
- 23:22
- Sunrise
- 06:10
- Sunset
- 16:55
Every 3 hours
Thursday 5 Nov
Go 09-10, clean head-high, glassy.
Kiwi's best shot: 09:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 05:46
- Low
- 12:15
- High
- 18:12
- Low
- 23:58
- Sunrise
- 06:11
- Sunset
- 16:54
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Carlsbad (33.150, -117.349). Waves = estimated breaking height at the beach. Data: Open-Meteo wave and weather models (CC BY 4.0). Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. Surf at your own risk.
Watch the wind column first. In one five-day Carlsbad forecast, every early morning had light north-north-east to east-north-east winds and clean surf. By midday the wind had moved to the west side, and conditions were fair to choppy. A west-north-west wind counts as onshore on this stretch. Our offshore direction for Tamarack is from the east.
Carlsbad surf spots guide
Carlsbad is a beach city 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown San Diego, with ocean-side cliffs above wide white-sand beaches. Popular activities at the state beach here include surfing and bodyboarding at several nearby breaks. Here are the names you will hear most.
Tamarack
Beach breakAll levelsOur Carlsbad forecast is set on Tamarack, a west-facing beach break that suits all levels. Watch for rocks near the jetties, and expect a crowd.
Tamarack Avenue lies by Carlsbad Boulevard, the coast road, at the southern turn of the Carlsbad 5000 running course. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Carlsbad State Beach
State beachClifftop campingThis protected state beach has coastal bluffs, and people come to swim, surf and bodyboard at several nearby breaks.
You reach the sand by several staircases and one ramp. There are 220 campsites on top of the cliffs, with showers, bathrooms, water and a camp store. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Carlsbad City Beach
BeachForecast pointSome forecast sites list Carlsbad City Beach as its own break. That forecast is for open water near shore, so waves often break smaller at less exposed spots. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Ponto (South Carlsbad State Beach)
BeachSouth CarlsbadPonto sits at South Carlsbad State Beach, in the North San Diego surf area. One report there counted a west-north-west wind as onshore and a north-north-east wind as offshore. Sources: deepswell.com
What Carlsbad needs to fire
These are the exact rules behind Kiwi's rating for this spot. Every hour of the forecast is scored on all four, then turned into a rating of 1 to 5 stars.
Swell
South to north-west swells
Tamarack faces west and takes swell from the south round to the north-west.
Wind
Offshore from the east
An east wind blows offshore here. Because the break faces west, winds from the west blow onshore.
Tide
Mid tide works best
Tamarack is at its best around mid tide.
Size
Best at 1–2 metres
Waves of 1 to 2 metres are ideal, and under 0.5 m it is too small to bother. Above about 3 m it gets too big for this break.
Shortcut: look for 1–2 m of swell, an east wind and a mid tide, and Tamarack should be at its best.
The best months to surf Carlsbad
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Carlsbad's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
NovThe standout month
In November, 93% of days rated 4 or better on our scale, and 97% rated 3 or better. Hot, dry Santa Ana winds come on a few days each year, mostly in the fall.
Dec–MarCool water, steady surf
Days rated 4 or better ran from 50% in February to 71% in January, and 81–97% of days rated 3 or better. Water sits around 16.7–17.8°C.
Apr–JulMixed, often foggy
Between 50% and 71% of days rated 4 or better, with May the strongest of these months. Summer is almost rain-free but overcast and cool, with fog off the Pacific.
Aug–OctWarmest water, August peak
August was the second-best month, with 87% of days rated 4 or better. September and October dropped to about 52–53%. Water is at its warmest in these months, at 23–24°C.
Before you go
Hazards
Rocks sit near the jetties at Tamarack, so keep clear of them.
Our size guide calls anything over about 3 m too big for this break.
Getting there
Carlsbad is 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown San Diego and 87 miles (140 km) south of downtown Los Angeles.
Carlsbad Boulevard runs along the coast, and Tamarack Avenue lies by it. Sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org
Beach access
At Carlsbad State Beach you reach the sand by several staircases and one ramp. Campsites sit on top of the cliffs. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Crowds and etiquette
Tamarack gets crowded. The break suits all levels, so expect a mix of abilities in the water.
Water temperature and wetsuit
From December to February the water sits around 16.7–17.4°C. From April to June it is about 19–20.6°C. From July to October it reaches 22–24°C. Surf-Forecast suggests a 4/3 mm wetsuit with 3 mm boots for the coldest early-February water. For the warmest early-September water it suggests a 2 mm long-sleeve shorty, or a 3/2 mm spring suit if the wind is up.
Water close to shore can be several degrees off the open-water figures. This happens most after heavy rain, near river mouths, or after long spells of strong offshore wind. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Best time of day
In one five-day forecast, every early morning had light north-north-east to east-north-east winds and clean surf. By midday, west-side winds such as west-north-west moved in, and conditions turned fair to choppy. Sources: surfcaptain.com · deepswell.com
Weather
Carlsbad has a mild climate and averages 263 sunny days a year. Winter rain comes now and then, but it is erratic. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Where the numbers come from
The method
Kiwi takes Open-Meteo's wave and wind models (ECMWF WAM, Météo-France, NOAA GFS and Open-Meteo's best-match blend) at a point about 5 km off Carlsbad. There is no buoy correction here yet: these are the models as they come.
Each hour is scored on the four rules above (swell, wind, tide, size). The stars are calibrated on a full year of data for USA, so 4 stars at Carlsbad is a genuinely good day by that country's standard.
What we can say
The season chart and the stars use the same rules, replayed on the archive: a month marked good was good by these rules, not by a surf report.
Without a buoy nearby, the size at the beach is our model's estimate, not a measurement.
Carlsbad surf questions
Is Carlsbad good for beginners?
Yes. Tamarack is a beach break that suits all levels. Beginners should stay well away from the rocks near the jetties and be ready for a crowd.
When is the best time to surf Carlsbad?
November was the best month, with 93% of days rated 4 or better, and August came next at 87%. Within the day, one five-day forecast rated every early morning clean, with fair to choppy conditions by midday.
How cold is the water in Carlsbad in December?
December water averages about 17.4°C.
What wind is best for the Carlsbad surf?
An east wind blows offshore at Tamarack. Winds from the west-north-west blow onshore and can make the surf choppy.
What tide is best at Tamarack?
Mid tide is best at Tamarack.
Where is Tamarack in Carlsbad?
Tamarack Avenue lies by Carlsbad Boulevard, the coast road, at the southern turn of the Carlsbad 5000 course. Our Carlsbad forecast is set on this spot.
Check the Carlsbad surf forecast before you go
Open the hourly table for Tamarack and look for 1–2 m of swell, an east wind and a mid tide. Kiwi will see you in the water.