TARLINE

Tar Report for Pfeiffer Beach

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California coast · Monterey Bay

Pfeiffer Beach

No Recent Reports

Tar/Oil – / 10 No Recent Reports · Unknown, Not Clean Surf 11-12 ft @ 12.4 s Estimated Breaking Height And Its Period

At A Glance

Tar

Reading the tar score Higher is cleaner. 10 means less tar reported; lower scores mean more tar or oil.Based on beach reports. Reports from the past 72 hours count, with more weight given to recent, better-supported reports. The lowest sand, water or smell score sets the overall score.A dash means unknown. No reports does not mean a clean beach.How scoring works
– / 10
No Recent Reports
Sand – no reports Water – no reports
Reports today 0
no tar reports on record

Surf

Reading the surf Height & period. Estimated breaking-wave height at this beach, followed by seconds between waves. The buoy readings below describe conditions offshore instead.Word & dots. More filled dots mean better predicted surf, based on waves and wind. Unrated means an input is missing.Before paddling out. This is an estimate, not a live surf check or a safety rating. Check conditions at the beach.How scoring works
11-12 ft @ 12.4 s
overhead
Good 4 out of 5
Offshore Swell obs 1h ago
9.7 ft Height 13.3 s Period 302° WNW From
Point Sur Buoy. 10/20 11:00 PM
Model: Tarline Zyphyr Model v4

Temp

Air and water temperatures Air. The weather forecast for this beach.Water. A nearby buoy reading. Water at the shoreline can be warmer or colder.Units & time. Temperatures are in °F. The water reading's time is Pacific time.
Air 57.5 °F
Water 65.3 °F
Water: Point Sur Buoy. 10/20 11:40 PM

Wind

Reading the wind Speed & gusts. Shown in knots (kt). Gusts are short bursts of stronger wind.Direction. The arrow and compass bearing show where the wind comes from.At the beach. Offshore blows toward the water; onshore blows toward land. Sideshore blows along the coast.
4.4 kt gusting 5.4 kt (+1)
116° ESE offshore
Model: Open-Meteo Weather

Tide

Reading the tides Predicted, not measured. Dots mark NOAA's predicted high and low tides for the CO-OPS station mapped to this beach, which is a different place from the sand you stand on. The line between the dots is Tarline's own interpolation.Height & time. Feet above NOAA's low-water reference, not the water depth. All times are Pacific.Explore the curve. Tap or focus a dot for its time and height.
Low tide, 2.7 ft @ 1:23 pm, Tue, Oct 20 Pacific 1:23pm High tide, 4.3 ft @ 6:47 pm, Tue, Oct 20 Pacific 6:47pm Low tide, 0.6 ft @ 1:39 am, Wed, Oct 21 Pacific 1:39am High tide, 4.4 ft @ 8:25 am, Wed, Oct 21 Pacific 8:25am Low tide, 2.2 ft @ 2:07 pm, Wed, Oct 21 Pacific 2:07pm High tide, 4.4 ft @ 7:45 pm, Wed, Oct 21 Pacific 7:45pm Low tide, 0.8 ft @ 2:13 am, Thu, Oct 22 Pacific 2:13am High tide, 4.8 ft @ 8:44 am, Thu, Oct 22 Pacific 8:44am 4.8 0.6 Tue 1 PM now Thu 8 AM
Plotted Window, Pacific Time
4.8 ft @ 8:44 am Highest · Thu, Oct 22 0.6 ft @ 1:39 am Lowest · Wed, Oct 21
NOAA 9413450 · predicted tides

As Of 10/21/26 12am Forecast About this forecast time The forecast hour. This is the hour the weather forecast describes, not when it was downloaded.Other readings. Buoy readings and tar reports have their own times on the cards. Tides are predictions.Every source and time. Open Sources & timestamps below for each feed's observation, forecast and retrieval times in full.

Sources & timestamps6 sources

  • Surf estimateTarline multi-buoy spectral model (buoy-spectrum-shadow-3)

    buoys 46239, 46028, 46236, 46042, 46215

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Calculated
    the recorded time of the local calculation

    Estimated from measured directional spectra, screened by this beach's exposure. The calculation time is when the model last ran. The observation time is the newest spectrum considered; other inputs may be older. This is not observed breaking surf or an independently calibrated accuracy claim.

  • Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 157. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 157. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • WeatherOpen-Meteo Forecast API

    Requested at 36.2391, -121.8183

    Valid for
    the time this forecast or prediction describes, not when it was made
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Modeled hourly weather for this beach's coordinates, not a reading from an instrument at the beach. The upstream model issue time was not recorded with these data, so issuance is unknown.

    Open the Open-Meteo Forecast API source ↗

  • TideCO-OPS, NOAA

    Monterey tide (9413450)

    Valid for
    the time this forecast or prediction describes, not when it was made
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Harmonic high and low predictions on the MLLW datum, not an observed water level. The time shown is the predicted extreme itself.

    Open the CO-OPS, NOAA source ↗

  • Sun and moonSunCalc, calculated locally

    36.2391, -121.8183

    Calculated
    the recorded time of the local calculation

    SunCalc computes sun and moon rise/set times from the Pacific date and beach coordinates, assuming an unobstructed horizon. Moon phase depends on date and time, not the beach location. No feed or beach sensor is involved; terrain and atmospheric conditions affect visible rise/set times.

    Open the SunCalc, calculated locally source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Surf OutlookBreaking-face estimates and forecast → Weather OutlookHourly conditions and the week ahead → Tar & OilScores and recent evidence →

Find This Beach

© OpenStreetMap contributors© OpenMapTilesTerrain: AWS Open Data

Pfeiffer Beach

Beach forecast · offshore context

Surf Outlook

Estimated breaking-face height at the beach is separate from offshore buoy wave height. These estimates are not validated measurements.

Surf Forecast

Morning and evening estimates, with swell and wind context.

Day Time of day Rating Size Surf Offshore swell Wind Weather Surf basis
WED OCT 21
Wed, 10/21 Morning 6 ft or more 7-8 ft @ 9.3 s · overhead 6-7 ft @ 11.6 s 5.3kt offshore Overcast · 63.2°F Exposure estimate
Wed, 10/21 Evening 6 ft or more 6-7 ft @ 8.7 s · overhead 6-7 ft @ 10.5 s 4.2kt offshore Overcast · 64°F Exposure estimate
THU OCT 22
Thu, 10/22 Morning 4 to under 6 ft 4-5 ft @ 8 s · chest-to-head 4-5 ft @ 11.2 s 5.7kt offshore Overcast · 60°F Exposure estimate
Thu, 10/22 Evening Under 1 ft 0-1 ft @ 0.8 s · ankle-high 4-5 ft @ 11.5 s 4.4kt onshore Partly cloudy · 64°F Exposure estimate
FRI OCT 23
Fri, 10/23 Morning 6 ft or more 6-7 ft @ 6.8 s · overhead 5-6 ft @ 9.4 s 3.3kt sideshore Partly cloudy · 58.3°F Exposure estimate
Fri, 10/23 Evening 6 ft or more 6-7 ft @ 7.5 s · overhead 6-7 ft @ 9.3 s 6.9kt onshore Clear · 69.3°F Exposure estimate
SAT OCT 24
Sat, 10/24 Morning 6 ft or more 6-7 ft @ 7.3 s · overhead 6-7 ft @ 9.7 s 0.7kt sideshore Clear · 66.1°F Exposure estimate
Sat, 10/24 Evening 4 to under 6 ft 5-6 ft @ 7.1 s · overhead 5-6 ft @ 9.9 s 4.7kt onshore Clear · 73.3°F Exposure estimate
SUN OCT 25
Sun, 10/25 Morning 4 to under 6 ft 4-5 ft @ 6.5 s · chest-to-head 3-4 ft @ 10.2 s 2.1kt sideshore Clear · 69.5°F Exposure estimate
Sun, 10/25 Evening 2 to under 4 ft 3-4 ft @ 7.2 s · chest-to-head 3-4 ft @ 10.9 s 3.4kt onshore Overcast · 74.9°F Exposure estimate
MON OCT 26
Mon, 10/26 Morning Under 1 ft 0-1 ft @ 0.7 s · ankle-high 3-4 ft @ 12.1 s 2.8kt offshore Mostly cloudy · 67.9°F Exposure estimate
Mon, 10/26 Evening Under 1 ft 0-1 ft @ 1.4 s · ankle-high 3-4 ft @ 12.2 s 4.7kt onshore Mostly cloudy · 77.4°F Exposure estimate
TUE OCT 27
Tue, 10/27 Morning 2 to under 4 ft 2-3 ft @ 8.9 s · waist-high 3-4 ft @ 11.9 s 2.7kt offshore Clear · 67°F Exposure estimate
Tue, 10/27 Evening 2 to under 4 ft 2-3 ft @ 8.8 s · waist-high 3-4 ft @ 12.1 s 4.9kt onshore Mostly cloudy · 74.8°F Exposure estimate
WED OCT 28
Wed, 10/28 Morning 2 to under 4 ft 3-4 ft @ 13.3 s · chest-to-head 3-4 ft @ 12.4 s 2.2kt offshore Mostly cloudy · 66.5°F Exposure estimate
Wed, 10/28 Evening 4 to under 6 ft 4-5 ft @ 12.8 s · chest-to-head 3-4 ft @ 12.5 s 5.1kt onshore Overcast · 76°F Exposure estimate
THU OCT 29
Thu, 10/29 Morning 4 to under 6 ft 4-5 ft @ 11.6 s · chest-to-head 4-5 ft @ 11.8 s 2.1kt offshore Overcast · 68.3°F Exposure estimate
Thu, 10/29 Evening 4 to under 6 ft 4-5 ft @ 11.2 s · chest-to-head 4-5 ft @ 11.7 s 5.2kt sideshore Overcast · 74.1°F Exposure estimate
Surf is an unvalidated breaking-wave estimate; offshore wave height is not surf height. Each height carries the period of its own source: the Surf period comes from the sample the breaking estimate was computed from, the Offshore swell period from the wave model's own row. A period shown as – is one the source did not supply. No calibrated accuracy percentage is available. Wind is the atmospheric weather forecast, not wind-wave direction.
Forecast sources & timestamps3 sources

  • Surf estimateTarline exposure window model on Open-Meteo Marine

    request coordinates 36.24,-121.82

    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Computed here from the modeled offshore swell and wind sea for this beach's hour, screened by the beach's exposure windows. Modeled throughout, with no measurement at the beach. The upstream model issue time was not recorded with these data, so issuance is unknown. Rows in this table are valid for different forecast hours, so no single valid time is shown here; read the row's own Day and Time of day.

    Open the Tarline exposure window model on Open-Meteo Marine source ↗

  • Wave forecastOpen-Meteo Marine API

    request coordinates 36.24,-121.82

    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Modeled open-water wave forecast requested at rounded coordinates, not a beach measurement. These coordinates identify Tarline's request, not necessarily the provider's returned model cell. The upstream model issue time was not recorded with these data, so issuance is unknown. Rows in this table are valid for different forecast hours, so no single valid time is shown here; read the row's own Day and Time of day.

    Open the Open-Meteo Marine API source ↗

  • WeatherOpen-Meteo Forecast API

    Requested at 36.2391, -121.8183

    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Modeled hourly weather for this beach's coordinates, not a reading from an instrument at the beach. The upstream model issue time was not recorded with these data, so issuance is unknown. Rows in this table are valid for different forecast hours, so no single valid time is shown here; read the row's own Day and Time of day.

    Open the Open-Meteo Forecast API source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Breaking surf and offshore swellOffshore buoy: Monterey · NDBC 46042
Offshore buoy, latest measurementno observed readingNext estimated breaking face7-8 ft @ 9.3 s · Wed, Oct 21, 9:00 AM
Estimated Breaking Face, Not Offshore Wave Height

No exact beach-reported face heights in the latest reports. Hovering an estimated-face point states the period of the sample that height was modeled from. The report form does not collect a wave period, so a crowd report's height says the period was not reported rather than borrowing the forecast's.

NESW
Swell from
274° W forecast
Offshore height
unknown observed and forecast span 3.2 to 6.5 ft
Dominant period
unknown
Beach faces
240° WSW dashed on compass
Offshore Wave Height, Observed And Forecast
Dominant Period, Observed And Forecast

Solid left of NOW: buoy measurements. Dashed right of NOW: wave-model forecast. Offshore significant wave height, not breaking face.

Swell Direction, Every 6h
Arrows point the way the swell is heading; the reading is the bearing it comes from, 0° = north. No direction reported in 43 of 57 samples.

Community evidence

Tar & Oil Conditions

Scores summarize recent beach reports, not a water-quality test. No reports means unknown, not clean.

Tar/Oil Score, 0 To 10 (10 = Clean)
7 DAYSHow scoring works →
no data
No tar/oil scores on record for the last 7 days.

Nothing to plot: no field reports have been scored for this beach in this window. An empty 0-10 lane would look the same as a clean beach, so none is drawn.

Read the individual tar/oil observations behind these scores, or use Research to compare and export historical records.

What people actually saw

Tar & Oil Observations

Up to 20 recent reports at this beach. These are crowd reports, not live instruments.

No reports yet for this beach.

Looking further back? Explore and export historical observations in Research →

Today · the week ahead

Weather Outlook

Hourly temperature, wind and sky forecasts, with daylight and lunar context.

Weather
58°Fovercast4 ktESEgust 5 ktUV 0Humidity 83%1011 mbSunrise 7:19 AMSunset 6:23 PM
Today, Hour By Hour
Sky By Hour
Wind Direction, Hourly
Arrows point the way the wind is heading; the reading is the bearing it comes from, 0° = north.
TodayUV 2 LowSunrise 7:19 AMSunset 6:23 PMMoonrise 4:00 PMMoonset 2:33 AM Waxing Gibbousapprox. next full moon Oct 27
Weather sources & timestamps3 sources

  • WeatherOpen-Meteo Forecast API

    Requested at 36.2391, -121.8183

    Valid for
    the time this forecast or prediction describes, not when it was made
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Modeled hourly weather for this beach's coordinates, not a reading from an instrument at the beach. The upstream model issue time was not recorded with these data, so issuance is unknown.

    Open the Open-Meteo Forecast API source ↗

  • Water temperatureNDBC, NOAA

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Sun and moonSunCalc, calculated locally

    36.2391, -121.8183

    Calculated
    the recorded time of the local calculation

    SunCalc computes sun and moon rise/set times from the Pacific date and beach coordinates, assuming an unobstructed horizon. Moon phase depends on date and time, not the beach location. No feed or beach sensor is involved; terrain and atmospheric conditions affect visible rise/set times. Sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset and phase are calculated per Pacific calendar day for 7 days from this one.

    Open the SunCalc, calculated locally source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Water reference: Point Sur · 46239 . Latest prior accepted buoy measurement at each hour, at most three hours old—not a shoreline thermometer or a water-temperature forecast.

Air and wind: Open-Meteo forecasts, not beach instruments. Coastal terrain and the marine layer can differ from the model grid. Compare the official NWS point forecast →

Instrument observations

Nearby Buoys

Nearby stations and configured reference sites with current usable readings. Measurements describe conditions at the instrument, not breaking surf on this beach. The map includes the wider station catalog.

Monterey

NDBC 46042
Reporting

Moored buoy · 80.6 km from this beach · 1710 m depth

last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM

Significant wave height
9.5 ft observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
Dominant period
13.0 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
Average period
10.8 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
Mean wave direction
WNW 302° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
Water temperature
65.7 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042
Wind
5.8 kt observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042
Gust
9.7 kt observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042
Wind direction
S 170° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042
Air temperature
62.8 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042

Significant wave height is the total measured sea state at this mooring, not the height breaking at this beach. The modeled breaking estimate is on the Surf tab.

No accepted directional spectrum from the past 90 minutes is available, so no partitions are shown.

Station sources & timestamps3 sources

  • Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA

    Monterey (46042)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Latest report received from this physical station; individual fields can have older observation times. This is the recorded start of the most recent successful live poll across this station's products, not response completion or proof that every field refreshed.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Offshore swellNDBC, NOAA

    Monterey (46042)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Water temperatureNDBC, NOAA

    Monterey (46042)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Station history → View on NDBC →

Point Sur

NDBC 46239 · CDIP 157
Reporting

Moored buoy · 28.5 km from this beach · 366 m depth

last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:40 PM

Significant wave height
9.7 ft observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 157
Dominant period
13.3 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 157
Average period
11.2 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 157
Mean wave direction
WNW 302° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 157
Water temperature
65.3 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:40 PM · CDIP 157
Wind
– kt not in the latest transmission
Gust
– kt not in the latest transmission
Wind direction
– not in the latest transmission
Air temperature
62.2 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · NDBC 46239

Significant wave height is the total measured sea state at this mooring, not the height breaking at this beach. The modeled breaking estimate is on the Surf tab.

Partitions, computed here Where these partitions come from Tarline splits this station's own directional wave spectrum into a swell part and a wind sea part. The split is this site's computation, not a provider product, and it is deliberately conservative: two parts, not a list of named swell trains. Variances add and heights do not, so the combined figure below is 4 times the square root of the total variance rather than a sum of the partition heights.
  • Swell 9.7 ft @ 13.3s energy period 12.0 s from NW 306°

Partitions combine to 9.7 ft significant height , against 9.7 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:00 PM.

Station sources & timestamps4 sources

  • Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Latest report received from this physical station; individual fields can have older observation times. This is the recorded start of the most recent successful live poll across this station's products, not response completion or proof that every field refreshed.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 157. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 157. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Directional wave spectrumCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Point Sur (46239)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Wave systems are partitioned from this measured spectrum. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this provider's spectral product, not response completion. Spectra are retained for 72 hours.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Station history → View on NDBC →

Cape San Martin

NDBC 46028
Reporting

Moored buoy · 53.4 km from this beach · 1136 m depth

last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM

Significant wave height
7.2 ft observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46028
Dominant period
11.0 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46028
Average period
10.7 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46028
Mean wave direction
NW 313° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46028
Water temperature
63.0 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028
Wind
1.9 kt observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028
Gust
3.9 kt observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028
Wind direction
E 100° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028
Air temperature
61.2 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028

Significant wave height is the total measured sea state at this mooring, not the height breaking at this beach. The modeled breaking estimate is on the Surf tab.

No accepted directional spectrum from the past 90 minutes is available, so no partitions are shown.

Station sources & timestamps3 sources

  • Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA

    Cape San Martin (46028)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Latest report received from this physical station; individual fields can have older observation times. This is the recorded start of the most recent successful live poll across this station's products, not response completion or proof that every field refreshed.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Offshore swellNDBC, NOAA

    Cape San Martin (46028)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Water temperatureNDBC, NOAA

    Cape San Martin (46028)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Station history → View on NDBC →

Monterey Canyon Outer

NDBC 46236 · CDIP 156
Reporting

Moored buoy · 59 km from this beach · 133 m depth

last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:35 PM

Significant wave height
5.8 ft observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 156
Dominant period
11.8 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 156
Average period
10.3 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 156
Mean wave direction
WNW 299° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 156
Water temperature
65.8 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:35 PM · CDIP 156
Wind
– kt not in the latest transmission
Gust
– kt not in the latest transmission
Wind direction
– not in the latest transmission
Air temperature
62.8 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46236

Significant wave height is the total measured sea state at this mooring, not the height breaking at this beach. The modeled breaking estimate is on the Surf tab.

Partitions, computed here Where these partitions come from Tarline splits this station's own directional wave spectrum into a swell part and a wind sea part. The split is this site's computation, not a provider product, and it is deliberately conservative: two parts, not a list of named swell trains. Variances add and heights do not, so the combined figure below is 4 times the square root of the total variance rather than a sum of the partition heights.
  • Swell 5.8 ft @ 11.8s energy period 11.4 s from WNW 291°

Partitions combine to 5.8 ft significant height , against 5.8 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:00 PM.

Station sources & timestamps4 sources

  • Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA

    Monterey Canyon Outer (46236)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Latest report received from this physical station; individual fields can have older observation times. This is the recorded start of the most recent successful live poll across this station's products, not response completion or proof that every field refreshed.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Monterey Canyon Outer (46236)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 156. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Monterey Canyon Outer (46236)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 156. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Directional wave spectrumCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Monterey Canyon Outer (46236)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Wave systems are partitioned from this measured spectrum. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this provider's spectral product, not response completion. Spectra are retained for 72 hours.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Station history → View on NDBC →

MBM1

NDBC 46092
Reporting

Moored buoy · 60 km from this beach · 1000 m depth

last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:08 PM

Significant wave height
– ft not measured at this station
Dominant period
– s not measured at this station
Average period
– s not measured at this station
Mean wave direction
– not measured at this station
Water temperature
– °F not in the latest transmission
Wind
5.8 kt observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:08 PM · NDBC 46092
Gust
– kt not in the latest transmission
Wind direction
SSE 160° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:08 PM · NDBC 46092
Air temperature
– °F not in the latest transmission

This platform reports weather only. The catalog records no wave sensor here, so its wave rows are blank by design rather than by outage.

This station publishes no directional spectrum, so no partitions can be computed.

Station sources & timestamps3 sources

  • Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA

    MBM1 (46092)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Latest report received from this physical station; individual fields can have older observation times. This is the recorded start of the most recent successful live poll across this station's products, not response completion or proof that every field refreshed.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Offshore swellNDBC, NOAA

    MBM1 (46092)

    No source time available. This entry carries no observation, valid, issue, calculation or retrieval time, so its age is unknown.

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. No accepted reading from this station is on record for the window shown. A successful fetch time for this field's provider and product is unavailable.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Water temperatureNDBC, NOAA

    MBM1 (46092)

    No source time available. This entry carries no observation, valid, issue, calculation or retrieval time, so its age is unknown.

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. No accepted reading from this station is on record for the window shown. A successful fetch time for this field's provider and product is unavailable.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Station history → View on NDBC →

Diablo Canyon

NDBC 46215 · CDIP 076
Reporting

Moored buoy · 144 km from this beach · 27 m depth

last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:58 PM

Significant wave height
5.8 ft observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · CDIP 076
Dominant period
12.5 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · CDIP 076
Average period
10.8 s observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · CDIP 076
Mean wave direction
W 271° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · CDIP 076
Water temperature
67.5 °F observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:58 PM · CDIP 076
Wind
– kt not in the latest transmission
Gust
– kt not in the latest transmission
Wind direction
– not in the latest transmission
Air temperature
– °F not in the latest transmission

Significant wave height is the total measured sea state at this mooring, not the height breaking at this beach. The modeled breaking estimate is on the Surf tab.

Partitions, computed here Where these partitions come from Tarline splits this station's own directional wave spectrum into a swell part and a wind sea part. The split is this site's computation, not a provider product, and it is deliberately conservative: two parts, not a list of named swell trains. Variances add and heights do not, so the combined figure below is 4 times the square root of the total variance rather than a sum of the partition heights.
  • Swell 5.8 ft @ 12.5s energy period 12.2 s from W 271°

Partitions combine to 5.8 ft significant height , against 5.8 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:30 PM.

Station sources & timestamps4 sources

  • Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA

    Diablo Canyon (46215)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Latest report received from this physical station; individual fields can have older observation times. This is the recorded start of the most recent successful live poll across this station's products, not response completion or proof that every field refreshed.

    Open the NDBC, NOAA source ↗

  • Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Diablo Canyon (46215)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading of open water, selected independently of the water temperature station. The observation time is the oldest of the wave fields shown, so it can overstate a single field's age but never understate it. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 076. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Diablo Canyon (46215)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    One instrument's own reading, selected independently of the wave station. Read through CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 076. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this field's provider and product, not response completion or the age of the reading.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

  • Directional wave spectrumCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Diablo Canyon (46215)

    Observed
    when the instrument took this reading
    Successful fetch
    recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)

    Wave systems are partitioned from this measured spectrum. The fetch timestamp records the start of a successful poll of this provider's spectral product, not response completion. Spectra are retained for 72 hours.

    Open the CDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography source ↗

All times are Pacific. An upstream issue time is shown only when recorded. A feed response time is not the provider's model initialization or publication time. Unlisted timestamps were not recorded or do not apply.

Station history → View on NDBC →
Primary model

Multi-buoy surf model, this beach's estimate

What the multi-buoy model is The surf figure on this page is computed from several buoys' directional wave spectra, with the land between each buoy and this beach screened out. It is a model ESTIMATE and it has not been calibrated against measured breaking surf, so no accuracy figure is claimed for it. The baseline beside it is the height the older exposure/CDIP tier produced at the same run, kept so the change stays auditable. A difference between the two is two models disagreeing, not either one being right.
Multi-buoy model, this beach's estimate 11.0 ft
Legacy baseline, same run 9.1 ft window-model
Difference from the baseline +1.9 ft this beach's estimate minus the older tier at that run

Stations used: Point Sur, Cape San Martin, Monterey Canyon Outer, Monterey, Diablo Canyon

  • exposure: curated arcs at every frequency; bins at or above 0.09 Hz are UNSCREENED (no coastline geometry supplied)

Computed Oct 21, 12:03 AM · buoy-spectrum-shadow-3

Panel assembled Wed, Oct 21, 2026, 12:06 AM PDT. That is not how fresh any station reading is.

Public incident records

Nearby Incident Reports

Records within 25 km. Proximity alone does not establish the source of tar at this beach.

Select a record to read in full.

Browse incident archive

Last 90 days 0

No incident reports within 25 km in the last 90 days.

Show older records Hide older records 7 More than 90 days ago
  1. IncidentNews 53-foot Motor Yacht Adrift Off Big Sur, CA 23.9 km away

    Late Sunday night (27-AUG-2023), USCG Sector San Francisco contacted ERD’s Hazmat Duty Officer for notification purposes only of the 53’ Motor Yacht SERENITY then adrift. The SERENITY was the subject of a USCG search & rescue operation Sunday evening with an estimated 800 gallons diesel on-board. The incident occurred during heavy weather conditions (winds exceeding 20 knots from the NW and building to well over 30 knots) and all persons on board (POBs) were rescued. ERD provided support for possible drift estimates of the vessel to inform the vessel owner’s aerial search planned for Friday (01-SEP), in the event it is still afloat.

    Original record
  2. IncidentNews Fish Magnet Aground; Big Sur, CA 2.2 km away

    On 18-Aug-2021, the 54' vessel FISH MAGNET ran aground in Monterey Bay. Approximately 1400 gallons of diesel on board. No sheen was observed at the time of grounding. The vessel is in the active surf zone. Sector San Francisco is requesting a fates analysis and trajectory.

    Original record
  3. IncidentNews P/C Ment-2-Be adrift; Offshore of Point Sur, CA 22.2 km away

    On 01-JULY-2016, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary contacted the regional NOAA SSC to request trajectory support for a drifting vessel. The 42ft wooden Grand Banks motor yacht was adrift and abandoned near Pt. Sur, CA. The drift request is intended to assist the owner in locating the drifting vessel before it sinks or becomes grounded in the Sanctuary.

    Original record
  4. IncidentNews S/V Chelsea adrift; South of Point Sur, CA 11 km away

    On February 18, 2014, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary staff contacted their SSC to request a drift estimate of an unmanned, 32 foot sailboat drifting 7 NM offshore and 9.5 NM South of Point Sur, CA. The occupants were safety rescued by the USCG. Plannining is on-going to locate and recover the vessel.

    Original record
  5. IncidentNews Empty Life Raft Adrift; Off Central Coast, CA 21.2 km away

    On December 16, 2013, the M/V TRIUMPHANT reported the inadvertent loss of a 100-person life raft overboard. The raft automatically inflated and deployed a drogue anchor at the initial release location, approximately 6NM WNW of Point Sur, CA. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary requested a drift estimate of the raft to assist in recovering the life raft before it sinks or causes shoreline or other impacts.

    Original record
  6. IncidentNews Mystery Spill; Off Lopez Point, CA 6.7 km away

    At 1100 PST on November 19, 2003, a US Coast Guard patrol boat report was received of a dark-colored slick 3nm by 10nm, two miles off Lopez Point, CA. A subsequent flight by CG helo at 1300hrs located the oil about 15nm north of Pt Lopez, and about 15nm north of the originally reported position. The oil was described as breaking up into smaller pieces and large tarballs, with associated sheening.

    Original record
  7. IncidentNews F/V Bono Grounding; Pfieffer Point, CA 1.5 km away

    At 0800 this morning, the NOAA SSC was notified by Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary staff of a 45' fishing vessel aground on the rocks about 7 nm south of Pfieffer Point, on the Big Sur coast. At the time, no other information was known about the type or amount of product onboard the vessel. First light observations did indicate a rainbow sheen about 150' by 1/2 nm long in the vicinity of the vessel. USCG district 9.

    Original record