
Surf Forecasts:
La Jolla Cove surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 493 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s period with SW 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. 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 0.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 12s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for La Jolla Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you—this 16-day window for La Jolla Cove is a tough one. We're looking at a long stretch of small, weak surf with messy conditions. The water is sitting at 72°, which is a good 5° warmer than usual for this time of year, so it feels like bathwater, but that's about the only thing going for us.
The entire first week is a write-off. The combined swell energy is weak, barely cracking 100 for most of it, and the swell is tiny at 2ft to 3ft. Winds are mostly cross or cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and bumpy. It's just not worth paddling out for.
We do get a bit of a pulse on Thursday, July 16th, and Friday, July 17th. The swell picks up to 4ft out of the WNW, but the period is a short, weak 8 to 9 seconds, so it's all windswell. The combined energy climbs to 277 on Thursday and 402 on Friday, which is at least moderate, but the forecast is still only "marginal" and the wind is from the S and SSW at 12-16 mph, tho it's cross-off, so the face might look clean. The size is small enough for beginners, but the quality just isn't there.
A few other days show a little more energy, like Saturday, July 18th, with 464 in the energy reading, but again, the swell is only 3ft and the wind is cross-shore. It's the same story all the way through.
The only real standout, and I'm stretching here, is the very end of the run. On Monday, July 27th, the morning shows some promise. The swell is 4ft out of the SW with a long 18-second period, pushing the combined energy to 979. This is a proper groundswell with some real push. The wind is light from the SW, keeping it clean with light cross-shore ripples. This is a reef and point break, so that long period swell will wrap in nicely. The size is still beginner-friendly, but the energy is there. After that, it drops off again. So if you're desperate, that Monday morning is your best bet, but don't hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 20°C on Tue afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 20°C on Fri afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | WNW 15 | W 6 | SW 16 | W 5 | WNW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
154 | 249 | 148 | 167 | 161 | 155 | 197 | 177 | 181 | 132 | 150 | 370 | 379 | 125 | 424 | 424 | 74 | 15 | 367 | 18 | 28 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:37PM2.16m | 11:24AM1.28m | 10:25PM2.06m | 12:05PM1.33m | 11:13PM1.89m | 12:46PM1.38m | 00:02AM1.65m | 1:30PM1.42m | 00:55AM1.38m | 2:16PM1.45m | 2:00AM1.12m | 3:05PM1.48m | 3:37AM0.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:18PM0.61m | 4:54AM-0.46m | 4:11PM0.57m | 5:35AM-0.36m | 5:06PM0.56m | 6:14AM-0.21m | 6:05PM0.57m | 6:52AM-0.02m | 7:12PM0.59m | 7:29AM0.19m | 8:31PM0.58m | 8:06AM0.41m | 10:06PM0.52m | 8:46AM0.60m | |||||||
— | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | |
7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:55 | — | 7:54 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Feels °C | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 18 | W 5 | W 6 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | SW 18 | S 12 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
95 | 249 | 13 | 23 | 66 | 155 | 197 | 118 | 119 | 92 | 45 | 370 | 228 | 191 | 469 | 380 | 609 | 231 | 161 | 539 | 506 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 14 | S 12 | SW 18 | S 14 | SW 17 | SW 17 | WNW 15 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | S 9 | S 9 |
154 | 133 | 66 | 167 | 161 | 122 | 121 | 177 | 181 | 132 | 130 | 132 | 379 | 181 | 424 | 424 | 74 | 425 | 367 | 87 | 56 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | WNW 4 | SW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 | WNW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 16 | WNW 15 | W 5 | W 6 | WNW 14 | W 5 | WNW 6 |
49 | 5 | 148 | 83 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 106 | 102 | 83 | 150 | 23 | 85 | 125 | 81 | 77 | 4 | 15 | 69 | 18 | 28 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 3 | S 4 | S 4 | SSE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — |
5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 9 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 21 | 7 | 21 | 210 | 0 | 127 | 127 | 25 | 149 | 68 | 0 | 127 | 149 | 3 | 21 | 21 | 9 | 20 | 21 | 14 | 20 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











