San Onofre State Beach • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (November - March)

Winter is when San Onofre State Beach lives up to its reputation. The North Pacific storm track is fully engaged from November through March, and a steady procession of extratropical cyclones sends long-period groundswell toward the Southern California coast. Most of that energy arrives from the W, WSW, SW and SSW, a direction band that aligns beautifully with the beach's southwest exposure. Average swell heights bob in the 3-3.6ft (0.9-1.1m) range, while wave periods hover around 12-13 seconds - a far cry from weak, short-period windswell. Just as importantly, the winter land/sea temperature contrast inland sets up frequent offshore winds from the N through ENE, giving this period the highest ideal wind percentages of the year (29-53%). This is the time to chase dawn sessions and offshore days; whether it is a clean 3ft lined-up day or a solid 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) winter swell, San Onofre has shape.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September - October)

The shoulder months are a game of patience. April and May still have plenty of long-period WSW/SW groundswell in the water, but the wind regime shifts to a persistent afternoon W/SW sea breeze, knocking ideal wind frequencies down to 19% and 8% respectively. September and October offer the reverse: tropical and early-fall southern-hemisphere energy continues to light up the beach, while the first hints of the North Pacific storm season and offshore N/NE winds begin to return. If you can pick the windows - glassy mornings, post-frontal swells, or tropical swell events - these months can produce fun, rippable waves. But without the right wind, the surface often holds an unwanted lump.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is the slow season for surf quality at San Onofre, even though it is never completely flat. The warm inland deserts create a strong thermal trough, which pulls in afternoon onshore winds from the SW and W nearly every day. Ideal offshore wind frequencies bottom out at just 6-9%, and the average swell height slips to 3-3.3ft (0.9-1.0m). The good news is that the period remains a healthy 13-14 seconds, and the swell direction is beautifully aligned from the SW/SSW window, so there are always small, cleanish long-period lines if you are willing to surf early and keep expectations modest. The magic is limited, but the water is warm and the beach is still very surfable.