Terramar surf forecast
Terramar is a west-facing reef in Carlsbad, California, that takes swell from the south round to the north-west and cleans up when the wind blows from the east. It is a scenic spot backed by cliffs, and it gets busy when it works.
Terramar surf report, hour by hour
The table shows wave size, wind and tide for each hour at Terramar. The break works best with waves of 1.0 to 2.0 m, wind from the east and a mid tide. Below about 0.6 m there is usually not enough to ride, and from about 3.0 m it gets too big.
Updated 23:58next run 04:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
09:00–10:00 · glassy
Today 2 Nov
Worth it 07-11, clean overhead, glassy.
Best window: 07:00–11:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 04:08
- Low
- 09:30
- High
- 14:57
- Low
- 21:58
- Sunrise
- 06:08
- Sunset
- 16:56
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 3 Nov
Go 08-10, clean head-high, glassy.
Best window: 08:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 04:50
- Low
- 10:39
- High
- 16:24
- Low
- 22:45
- Sunrise
- 06:09
- Sunset
- 16:56
Every hour, 05–21
Wednesday 4 Nov
Worth it 06-10, clean overhead, glassy.
Best window: 06:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 05:18
- Low
- 11:30
- High
- 17:17
- 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
- 18:11
- Low
- 23:56
- Sunrise
- 06:11
- Sunset
- 16:54
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Terramar (33.124, -117.331). 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 direction first. Terramar faces west, so an east wind blows offshore and grooms the waves, while a west wind blows straight onshore.
Surfing Terramar: the break
Terramar Point sits on the Carlsbad coastline in San Diego County, with a wide stretch of beach and cliffs behind it. Our forecast treats it as a rocky reef for intermediate surfers and up. One forecast site describes it as an exposed break with both lefts and rights.
Terramar Point
Reef breakIntermediate+This is the main peak our forecast covers, a reef that faces west and takes swell from about 200° to 300°. The ideal size is 1.0 to 2.0 m, and the rocky reef is listed as a hazard.
It is billed as one of the top surf spots in Carlsbad, known for its sunsets and views of the Pacific Ocean. Sources: hdontap.com
Terra Mar
Lefts and rightsCrowdsSurf-Forecast lists the spot as Terra Mar and calls it an exposed break with fairly consistent surf. It says waves go both left and right, and that clean groundswell is common here.
The same guide warns of rips, rocks and pollution, and notes that it can get crowded on good days. Sources: pt.surf-forecast.com
What Terramar 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
Terramar faces west (250°) and is open to swell from about 200° to 300°. Surf-Forecast names west-south-west as the best direction.
Wind
East wind is offshore
The offshore wind here comes from the east, around 70°. Winds from the west blow onshore and roughen the surface.
Tide
Best around mid tide
Our forecast rates Terramar best at mid tide.
Size
Ideal at 1–2 metres
The break comes alive from about 1.0 m and stays at its best up to 2.0 m. Under 0.6 m it is usually too small, and around 3.0 m it gets too big.
Shortcut: a 1–2 m swell from the south to north-west, an east wind and a mid tide is the Terramar sweet spot.
The best months to surf Terramar
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Terramar's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Dec–FebCooler water, smaller swell
Good days run from 55% in December to 74% in January, and typical waves are smaller at about 1.1 to 1.5 m. The water drops to between 16.7 and 17.4 °C.
Mar–MaySteady spring surf
Between 87% and 97% of days are surfable, and March has good conditions on 71% of days. The water warms from 17.8 to about 19 °C.
Jun–AugBiggest waves, warmest water
June and July bring the largest typical waves at about 1.7 to 1.8 m, and August has good conditions on 84% of days. Surf-Forecast also rates summer as the best season here.
Sep–NovNovember is the standout
November has the best share of good days all year at 87%, while September and October sit lower at 57% and 52%. The water stays above 23 °C until October, then cools to 18.5 °C in November.
Before you go
Hazards
Terramar breaks over a rocky reef, so take care on entry and exit and when you fall.
Surf-Forecast also warns of rip currents and pollution. Sources: pt.surf-forecast.com
Crowds and etiquette
Our forecast lists crowds as a hazard at this break. It can get busy when the waves are good.
Expect company when the surf is good. Sources: pt.surf-forecast.com
Where it is
Terramar Point is on the Carlsbad coastline in California, in San Diego County. The beach is a wide stretch backed by cliffs. Sources: hdontap.com · pt.surf-forecast.com
Water temperature and wetsuit
From December to March the water sits around 16.7 to 17.8 °C.
From April to June it is 19 to 20.6 °C.
From July to October the water reaches about 22 to 24 °C. November cools again to 18.5 °C.
Terramar surf cam
HDOnTap runs a live pan-tilt-zoom webcam at Terramar Point with several preset views of the surf and coastline. It lets you watch the surf and surfers in action and see the changing weather conditions. Sources: hdontap.com
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 Terramar. 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 Terramar 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.
Terramar surf questions
Is Terramar good for beginners?
Our forecast rates Terramar for intermediate surfers and up, and lists the rocky reef and crowds as hazards. One webcam site says the waves suit surfers of all levels.
When is the best time to surf Terramar?
November and August have the highest share of good days, at 87% and 84%. Summer brings the biggest typical waves and the warmest water.
How cold is the water at Terramar in December?
The sea averages about 17.4 °C in December.
What wind and tide work best at Terramar?
An east wind is offshore here, and our forecast rates the break best around mid tide. Surf-Forecast says a north-east wind is ideal.
Is there a Terramar surf cam?
Yes, HDOnTap streams a live pan-tilt-zoom camera at Terramar Point in Carlsbad.
Does Terramar get crowded?
Yes, it can get crowded when the surf is good.
Check the Terramar surf report before you go
See the hour-by-hour Terramar forecast for swell, wind and tide, and catch the reef with an east wind at mid tide.