Surf spot

Little Waimea

Forecast conditions and map view for Little Waimea 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: 32.6906, -117.2881

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)	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.9	1	1	1	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.1	1	0.9	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6
Wave direction	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	WSW	SW	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	S
Wave period (s)	13.2	12.1	11.7	10.6	11.8	12.4	11.9	11.8	11.8	11.2	11.2	9.6	6.8	6.8	9	4.7	4.9	5.2	5.5	5.5	5.8	6	6.1	6	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.2	6.3	6	5.8	5.8	5	5.8	5.9	6	6	5.8	5.8	6.4	6.3	6.3	8.3	13.8	13.4	13.2	13	12.7	12.2	13.3	13.2	13.1	12.5	11.6	8.6	8.6
Wave energy (kJ)	151	127	119	86	161	207	164	135	177	109	122	89	48	49	75	37	46	55	63	80	95	104	111	104	98	83	87	126	120	95	86	74	36	63	62	63	62	53	47	42	34	32	49	127	129	125	130	132	130	119	117	115	98	84	50	50
Wind speed (km/h)	14.2	14.8	16.2	21.3	20	15.6	10.5	11.2	8.8	6.7	6.4	12.2	15	13.1	10.4	9	5.4	7.3	8.7	16.6	15.5	13.8	9.8	10.1	9.2	11.4	11.1	15.1	17.6	13.5	8.9	8.4	8.5	6.2	7.9	12.2	14.5	11.4	9.3	6.4	4.7	3.4	3.7	10.2	15.9	12.9	10.2	8.3	6.6	6.4	5.4	10.5	16.4	15	12.4	8
Wind direction	SCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WNWCross-on	WOnshore	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SCross-on	SWCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWOnshore	WSWGlassy	WSWGlassy	WGlassy	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWCross-on	NWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WOnshore	WOnshore	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on

Little Waimea is a reef break / shorebreak-style surf spot in San Diego County, California, known for producing steep, powerful waves that can pack a lot of punch for its size. It’s often compared to Waimea Bay in Hawaii in the sense that it can get heavy and hollow for a relatively small-looking spot, especially when swell lines up just right.

What it’s like

Wave type: Short, punchy, often fast and steep
Best for: Experienced surfers only
Crowd: Usually local and relatively low-profile compared with bigger mainstream breaks
Hazards: Sharp reef, shallow sections, strong impact zone, and potentially dangerous currents/closeouts

Conditions

Best swell: Typically needs a solid winter swell with enough size and direction to light up
Best wind: Usually light offshore or calm conditions
Tide: Can be tide-sensitive; too low may make it extremely shallow and dangerous, while too high can soften it

Surf style

Expect a wave that can be heavy, wedging, and powerful, with little room for error. When it’s working, it can throw a strong face and offer brief, intense rides rather than long cruise-y lines.

Bottom line

Little Waimea is a high-risk, high-reward spot for advanced surfers who are comfortable with powerful shallow-water surf. It’s not ideal for beginners and should be approached with caution due to the reef and force of the waves.