Surf Forecasts:
La Jolla Cove surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 17s period, SW swell with 625 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for La Jolla Cove this week:
The surf forecast for La Jolla Cove over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 18s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at La Jolla Cove in the next 16 days are 1.1m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 17s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for La Jolla Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s be straight up: it’s been a rough few weeks here, and this 16-day window for La Jolla Cove doesn’t give us much to shout about. The whole run is mostly small, onshore-affected, and just plain lackluster. There are big gaps with days on end where you wouldn’t even bother paddling out.
Monday the 14th is about the only time worth getting your feet wet. Morning sees a clean 4ft swell from the WNW, period around 8 seconds, with a light cross-off breeze from the SSW at 9 mph. It’s not groundswell, but the water is glassy and the conditions are clean. The combined swell energy is moderate (381). The water is running at 73°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – you’ll notice that the second you jump in. If you can sneak out Monday morning, that’s the pick.
By Monday afternoon, the swell backs off to 4ft from the west, period extends to 10 seconds, and it stays cross-off. Still clean, but below the morning.
After that, it’s grim. From Tuesday the 15th right through to Sunday the 27th, the surf is either tiny or chopped up by cross-on breezes. There are multiple three- to four-day gaps with nothing rideable. Tuesday morning the 15th has some 2ft swell with a very long 16-second period, but it’s messy and the energy is weak (260). That long period just isn’t working here.
We get a flicker of hope around Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 23rd, with chest-high sets showing 4ft and 3ft from the SW, but the winds are either cross or cross-on, and the quality is just not there. The energy is higher – up to 714 on the 21st – but the conditions ruin it.
The only real standout, and I mean the *only* one, is Monday the 14th morning. For a beginner-friendly reef and point break, that's your window. After that, it’s a long dry spell. Late in the run, around Monday the 28th, there’s a brief moment with 4ft from the WNW and a 9-second period, but the wind is onshore.
Honestly, there’s nothing here to get excited about. If you’re a kite surfer, some of those afternoons with onshore winds and small swell might look better, but for a surfer? It’s a tough stretch. Hang in there – forecasts can change.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | W 10 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 8 | W 7 | WNW 6 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 229 | 226 | 188 | 161 | 157 | 157 | 31 | 26 | 11 | 160 | 160 | 206 | 369 | 303 | 296 | 379 | 375 | 375 | 522 | 522 | 493 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:22AM1.67m | 00:17AM1.15m | 11:51AM1.60m | 1:23AM0.98m | 12:23PM1.51m | 1:09PM1.41m | 2:38PM1.34m | 8:04AM1.10m | 4:32PM1.35m | 7:53AM1.16m | 5:45PM1.44m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:10PM0.23m | 5:24AM0.62m | 7:05PM0.30m | 5:36AM0.78m | 8:21PM0.37m | 10:08PM0.39m | 11:39PM0.32m | 10:40AM1.07m | 00:33AM0.23m | 12:03PM0.97m | 1:10AM0.14m | ||||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — |
 | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:47 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | WNW 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 |
| kJ | 229 | 226 | 127 | 99 | 108 | 73 | 475 | 298 | 366 | 280 | 242 | 242 | 369 | 303 | 43 | 379 | 375 | 375 | 97 | 117 | 130 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 8 | W 7 | S 10 | SW 21 | S 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
| kJ | 152 | 192 | 188 | 161 | 157 | 157 | 31 | 26 | 28 | 160 | 67 | 86 | 178 | 141 | 184 | 36 | 34 | 51 | 522 | 522 | 493 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSE 9 | S 9 | WNW 6 | S 9 | SW 21 | SW 20 | W 5 | S 8 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 66 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 127 | 108 | 27 | 24 | 11 | 25 | 160 | 206 | 14 | 12 | 296 | 135 | 93 | 83 | 48 | 76 | 50 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | WNW 3 | — | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 2 | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 0 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 9 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the La Jolla Cove Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for La Jolla Cove provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at La Jolla Cove can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our La Jolla Cove surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (La Jolla Cove) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for La Jolla Cove may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
La Jolla Cove is 10 km (6 miles) from San Diego. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in San Diego. San Diego has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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