Surf spot

Seaside Reef

Forecast conditions and map view for Seaside Reef 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: 33.0019, -117.2782

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	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	1.1	1.1	1	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	W	W	W	WNW	WNW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW
Wave period (s)	11.9	11.8	11.6	11.4	10.9	9.3	4.3	4.3	4.3	4.5	4.8	5	4.9	4.3	4.2	4.3	6.8	5.8	5.8	5.8	6.9	6.9	6.9	4.3	5.1	7.3	8.8	7.3	7.3	7.3	13.5	13.2	13.2	12.8	12.8	13	13.2	13.3	12.4	12.3	12.1	12.2	12.1	11.8	11.8	11.5	11.3	11	12	11.8	11.8	11.6	11.4	11.1	11.1	10.9
Wave energy (kJ)	148	143	132	127	104	76	17	18	20	24	33	35	29	16	15	19	56	81	76	65	49	41	37	12	16	25	42	34	34	28	99	102	108	89	111	114	117	128	135	133	128	129	127	120	120	115	119	105	90	94	87	78	71	77	66	64
Wind speed (km/h)	8.5	5.4	7.7	15	16.1	12.9	8.1	5.8	5.6	6.4	6.9	12.4	15.7	13	7.6	5.6	7.1	8.8	9.6	14.8	17.9	15	9.7	8.2	7.2	5.9	1.1	11.8	15.5	13	7.7	5.2	3.7	3.6	2.3	10	14.8	12	8.9	7.6	6.7	4.9	3.8	11.1	15.8	13.7	9.2	8.1	5.7	6.1	5.7	12.9	15.6	12.2	9.5	6.6
Wind direction	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWOnshore	SCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSECross	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SWOnshore	SSWGlassy	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WNWCross-on	WGlassy	NWGlassy	WNWGlassy	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WNWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWGlassy	NWGlassy	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	NWCross-on	NNWCross	NWCross	NWCross-on	NWCross	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on

Seaside Reef is a well-known surf spot in San Diego County, California, located in the Cardiff-by-the-Sea / Encinitas area along the North County coastline.

Overview

Type of break: Mostly a reef break with a mix of lefts and rights
Best for: Intermediate to advanced surfers, though it can be surfed by others when conditions are mellow
Consistency: One of the more reliable spots in North County, often producing rideable surf when nearby beaches are less organized

Wave Characteristics

Shape: Can offer fun, peaky waves with decent wall sections
Direction: Works on different swell directions, especially when combined with favorable wind and tide
Size: Handles a wide range of surf, from smaller fun-size days to solid overhead surf
Power: Can get fast and punchy, especially when the swell lines up

Conditions

Best tide: Often works best on mid to higher tide, depending on swell size and sand/reef setup
Wind: Light offshore or calm winds are ideal; onshore winds can quickly make it choppy
Crowds: Can be crowded, especially when conditions are good, because it’s a popular and dependable break

Hazards

Reef: Shallow reef means surfers should be cautious, especially on lower tides
Crowds and localism: Popularity can mean competitive lineup dynamics
Conditions vary: Wave shape and safety can change quickly with tide and swell

Atmosphere

Seaside Reef has a classic Southern California surf vibe: coastal, scenic, and usually busy when the waves are good. It’s a spot many surfers check regularly because it can offer quality waves more often than some neighboring breaks.