Surf spot

Blacks Beach

Forecast conditions and map view for Blacks Beach in USA, California, San Diego County. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, San Diego County
Coordinates: 32.8796, -117.2538

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	1	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	WSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	W	W	WNW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	WSW	W	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	W	W	WNW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW
Wave period (s)	12.3	11.6	11.9	10.9	11.9	12.1	12.3	11.8	12.1	11.3	11.3	11.3	11.8	5.8	6.8	7	4.5	4.7	5	5.2	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.6	5.8	6	5.7	6	6	5.8	5.1	5	5.2	8.2	7.2	6.9	5.5	5.5	6.8	11.3	12.7	13.7	13.6	13.2	12.9	12.8	12.4	12.2	13.4	13.3	13.2	13.1	12.8	12.5	12.2
Wave energy (kJ)	101	97	116	81	147	187	116	171	134	126	132	140	75	28	36	33	27	33	40	44	47	57	56	36	46	60	63	57	37	35	34	23	21	20	26	28	32	32	27	29	85	108	118	124	117	128	133	135	129	106	95	94	93	89	91	93
Wind speed (km/h)	11.9	10.4	12.6	18	17.3	15.1	10.9	9.7	9	7	8	12.6	15.3	11.9	9.8	7.2	5.9	6.4	8.3	12.9	15.5	12.6	8.4	7.1	7.5	7.8	8.7	14.1	15.5	13.2	8.5	8.7	7.4	7.2	6.6	10.8	15.3	12.2	8.2	6.2	5.4	3.6	4.7	10.2	15.2	12.3	9.3	6.6	4.7	6.5	5.6	10.8	16.4	14.5	10.2	8.2
Wind direction	SCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWOnshore	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWGlassy	WSWGlassy	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWGlassy	NWCross-on	NNWCross	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on

Blacks Beach is one of San Diego County’s most iconic surf spots, located below the high bluffs of Torrey Pines on the La Jolla coastline. It’s known for its powerful beach break, heavy waves, and relatively secluded setting, which gives it a more raw and uncrowded feel than many other Southern California surf zones.

Surf character

Wave type: Beach break
Best for: Intermediate to advanced surfers, especially those comfortable in powerful, shifting waves
Size range: Can handle anything from small to very large swells
Wave quality: Often fast, hollow, and punchy, with occasional barrels when conditions line up
Consistency: Works best with solid west or northwest swells and favorable tide/wind combos

Conditions

Sandbars: Highly variable, which means the break can change often
Tides: Can be tide-sensitive; certain peaks work better at mid to lower tides depending on swell size
Wind: Offshore easterly winds can clean it up; onshore winds can quickly make it messy
Swell exposure: Well exposed to Pacific swell, so it picks up energy easily

Hazards and challenges

Strong shorebreak and powerful currents
Steep beach access via cliffs and trails
Crowds can be lighter than nearby spots, but the lineup can still be competitive when it’s firing
Occasional contamination concerns after heavy rain, as with many urban/coastal beaches

Vibe

Blacks Beach has a classic Southern California big-beach-break reputation: dramatic scenery, heavy surf, and a bit of a hidden-away feel. It’s a spot that can deliver excellent sessions, but it demands respect because the waves and currents can be unforgiving.