Del Mar surf forecast
Del Mar is a west-facing beach break at 15th Street that suits all levels and takes swell from the south right round to the north-west. It sits in a small beach city in San Diego County, on the Pacific coast of California.
Del Mar surf report hour by hour
The table shows our hourly forecast for 15th Street in Del Mar: wave size, swell, wind and tide. Open-water forecasts like this describe the sea near the shore, and breaking waves are often smaller at more sheltered spots.
Updated 23:58next run 04:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
09:00–10:00 · glassy
Today 2 Nov
Marginal 07-11: average, overhead, glassy.
Best window: 07:00–11:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 04:06
- Low
- 09:22
- High
- 14:57
- Low
- 21:57
- Sunrise
- 06:08
- Sunset
- 16:56
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 3 Nov
Go 08-10, clean head-high, offshore NE.
Best window: 08:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 04:47
- Low
- 10:35
- High
- 16:20
- Low
- 22:42
- Sunrise
- 06:08
- Sunset
- 16:56
Every hour, 05–21
Wednesday 4 Nov
Marginal 08-12: wrong tide, overhead, glassy.
Best window: 08:00–12:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 05:15
- Low
- 11:30
- High
- 17:17
- Low
- 23:21
- Sunrise
- 06:09
- 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
- 18:10
- Low
- 23:55
- Sunrise
- 06:10
- Sunset
- 16:54
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Del Mar (32.959, -117.269). 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 arrow first. Wind from the east blows offshore here, so look for those hours before you look at size. In one sample forecast the early mornings were clean, and on some days the middle of the day turned choppy as a north-west breeze came in.
Surfing Del Mar: the spot guide
Del Mar is a beach break, not a reef or a point. It faces west and picks up swell from south to north-west, which keeps it working through much of the year. The waves are friendly enough for all levels on a normal day, but rips and crowds come with the territory.
15th Street, Del Mar
Beach breakAll levelsThis is the stretch our forecast is built for, a west-facing beach break. It is at its best with waves of about 0.8 to 1.8 m, at mid tide and with wind from the east.
Below about 0.4 m it is mostly too small to bother with, and above about 2.5 m it gets too big for most people.
Del Mar Beach
Beach breakOpen coastDel Mar Beach is the name Surf-Forecast uses for this break in San Diego County. Surf Captain's Del Mar forecast is made for west-facing beaches.
Buoys near the beach, including Del Mar Nearshore, Torrey Pines Outer and Scripps Nearshore, give live readings of the swell before you paddle out. Sources: surf-forecast.com · surfcaptain.com · deepswell.com
What Del Mar 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 swell
The beach faces west, and its swell window runs from south (180°) to north-west (310°). That means both south swells and north-west swells can reach it.
Wind
East wind is offshore
Wind from the east blows offshore here and gives the cleanest waves. Wind from the west, the direction the beach faces, blows onshore.
Tide
Mid tide works best
Our setup for 15th Street favours mid tide. Plan your session around the middle of the tide rather than the very top or bottom.
Size
Best at 0.8–1.8 m
The ideal range is about 0.8 to 1.8 m. Under 0.4 m is usually too small, and over 2.5 m is too big for this beach.
Shortcut: a 0.8–1.8 m swell from within the south to north-west window, an east wind and mid tide is the classic good day at 15th Street.
The best months to surf Del Mar
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Del Mar's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Nov–JanThe most reliable months
January had good surf on 81% of days and November had good surf on 77%, which are among the best shares of the year. December was lower at 58%, and the water cools to about 17°C.
Feb–MaySteady and still fairly cool
Good days run at 54–60%, and in March 97% of days were at least fair. The water warms from about 17°C to 19°C.
Jun–JulWarm water, fewer good days
June had the lowest share of good days of the year at 40%, and July was also low at 45%. The water is pleasant, about 21–22°C.
Aug–OctWarmest water of the year
August was strong, with good surf on 77% of days, before September dipped to 43% and October rose to 58%. Water peaks around 24°C in August and stays near 23°C into October.
Before you go
Hazards
Rip currents are a hazard on this beach, so watch where the water runs back out before you paddle in.
Water quality can be poor after rain, so it is wise to stay out for a while after a storm.
Crowds and etiquette
Crowds are a known issue here.
Water temperature and wetsuit
From December to March the water sits at about 17–18°C, so a 3/2 mm full suit is the safe choice.
From April to June it is about 19–21°C, where a 2 mm suit or springsuit is usually enough. From July to October it reaches 22–24°C, warm enough that a springsuit, or even boardshorts on the warmest days, may be enough. By November it drops back to about 18°C.
Best time of day
East winds are offshore here, so the cleanest hours are often when the wind is light or from the land. In one sample forecast the early mornings were clean, and on some days the middle of the day turned choppy with a north-west breeze. Sources: surfcaptain.com
Live checks before you go
A nearby wind station sits at Del Mar Beach, and several buoys close by report wave height, direction and period.
Remember that open-water forecasts often show bigger numbers than the waves that actually break at more sheltered spots. Sources: surfcaptain.com · deepswell.com · surf-forecast.com
About the town
Del Mar is a small beach city that was established in 1885 to build a seaside resort. The San Diego County Fair is held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and horse racing runs there every summer. The town's slogan, "where the turf meets the surf", comes from a song Bing Crosby recorded to play at the racetrack. 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 Del Mar. 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 Del Mar 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.
Del Mar surf questions
Is Del Mar good for beginners?
Yes, 15th Street suits all levels on normal days, with an ideal size of about 0.8 to 1.8 m. Beginners should watch out for rips and crowds, and stay out when it gets above about 2.5 m.
When is the best time to surf Del Mar?
January (81% good days), November and August (77% each) were the strongest months. June and September had the fewest good days.
How cold is the water in Del Mar in December?
The sea is about 17°C in December, so a 3/2 mm full wetsuit is the safe choice.
What wind is offshore at Del Mar?
Wind from the east is offshore at 15th Street and gives the cleanest waves. Wind from the west blows onshore.
What tide is best for surfing Del Mar?
Mid tide works best at 15th Street.
Do I need a wetsuit in Del Mar in summer?
By August the water reaches about 24°C, so a springsuit, or even just boardshorts, may be enough. In early summer, at about 21°C, a thin suit is still comfortable.
Check the Del Mar surf report before you go
Look at the hourly table for an east wind, mid tide and 0.8–1.8 m of swell, then grab your board and head for 15th Street.