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Imperial Pier (North and South) Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

(San Diego County, USA)

Imperial Pier (North and South) break guidePhoto by: Amanda Barnett Rimmer

Imperial Pier (North and South) Surf Guide

Imperial Pier (North and South) in San Diego County is an exposed beach break that has consistent surf. Winter is the best time of year for surfing here. Offshore winds blow from the east. Tends to receive distant groundswells and the best swell direction is from the west southwest. The beach breaks offer lefts and rights. Sometimes crowded. Beware of rips and pollution.

Imperial Pier (North and South) Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Beach2consistent
16.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Imperial Pier (North and South):

The best conditions reported for surf at Imperial Pier (North and South) occur when a West-southwest swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the East.

What's the best time of year to surf Imperial Pier (North and South) (for consistent clean waves)?

januaryBest Season: winter
The best time of year for surfing Imperial Pier (North and South) with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter  and most often the month of January. Clean surfable waves are typically found 47% of the time in January while 52% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 1% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
47%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
52%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
1%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Imperial Pier (North and South) Location Map

Interactive Imperial Pier (North and South) surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Imperial Pier (North and South) is North Island Nas (San Diego) Airport (NZY) in USA, 15 km (9 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Imperial Pier (North and South) is General Abelardo L Rodriguez International (Tijuana) Airport (TIJ) in Mexico, 16 km (10 miles) away.

  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Imperial Pier (North and South) Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 00:15 Local Time
TueWed
8PM11PM2AM5AM
Wave (m)
0.7
SW
0.7
SW
0.7
SW
0.7
SW
Period (s) 15 15 16 16
Wind (km/h)
15
10
10
5
Wind State cross-
on		 cross-
on		 cross-
on		 cross-
on

What does Imperial Pier (North and South) look like?

Latest photos from Imperial Pier (North and South). Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: Amanda Barnett RimmerCredit: Amanda Barnett RimmerCredit: joeCredit: joeCredit: joe

    Tides at Imperial Pier (North and South)

    Current tide and informaton
    For Imperial Beach, California, 0 km from Imperial Pier (North and South).
    Next High Water: 02:28pm | 0.84m
    Tidal range Clock
    Next Low Water: 07:16am | 0.07m
    IS AT (local time)

    Imperial Pier (North and South) Sea Temperature

    The water temperature (16.5 °C) at Imperial Pier (North and South) is quite cool. If the sun shines as we have forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a good spring wetsuit. Effective windchill factor of (16.0 °C) will make the air and water feel about the same temperature.

    Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.
    Current Temp*: 16.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite
    water-temp
    California Sea TemperatureView Sea Temp Map

    Swell History at Imperial Pier (North and South)

    Surf stats for Imperial Pier (North and South), see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

    Imperial Pier (North and South) Location Map
    Average Swell
    View Swell Statistics

    Wind History at Imperial Pier (North and South)

    Wind stats for Imperial Pier (North and South), see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.

    Imperial Pier (North and South) Location Map
    Average Wind
    View Wind Statistics

    Other Nearby Breaks Closest To:

    Discover surf breaks near Imperial Pier (North and South). Click below to view there surf guides.

    Wave Buoys Nearest To Imperial Pier (North and South):

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