Tar/Oil – / 10 No Recent Reports · Unknown, Not Clean
Surf 7-8 ft @ 14.3 s Estimated Breaking Height And Its Period
At A Glance
Tar
Reading the tar scoreHigher 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 reportsWater – no reports
Reports today0
no tar reports on record
Surf
Reading the surfHeight & 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
7-8ft@14.3s
overhead
Good4.5 out of 5
Offshore Swell
obs 43m ago
7.2ftHeight11.0sPeriod313° NWFrom
Cape San Martin Buoy. 10/20 11:20 PM
Model: Tarline Zyphyr Model v4
Temp
Air and water temperaturesAir. 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.
Air57.4°F
Water63.0°F
Water: Cape San Martin Buoy. 10/20 11:30 PM
Wind
Reading the windSpeed & 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.
2.3 kt gusting 3.3 kt (+1)
165° SSE sideshore
Model: Open-Meteo Weather
Tide
Reading the tidesPredicted, 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.
Plotted Window, Pacific Time
4.8 ft @ 8:44 amHighest · Thu, Oct 220.6 ft @ 1:39 amLowest · Wed, Oct 21
NOAA 9413450 · predicted tides
As Of 10/21/26 12amForecastAbout this forecast timeThe 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 estimateCDIP MOP nowcast, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
MOP point MO109
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)
Nearshore model output for this beach's mapped MOP point, transformed to a breaking height here. Modeled, not measured at the beach. The upstream model issue time was not recorded with these data, so issuance is unknown.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
8-9 ft @ 12.5 s · overhead
6-7 ft @ 11.9 s
2.9kt offshore
Overcast · 64.6°F
CDIP estimate
Wed, 10/21
Evening
7-8 ft @ 11.1 s · overhead
5-6 ft @ 11.1 s
10.9kt offshore
Overcast · 64.8°F
CDIP estimate
THU OCT 22
Thu, 10/22
Morning
6-7 ft @ 10.5 s · overhead
4-5 ft @ 11.3 s
9.9kt offshore
Overcast · 58.2°F
CDIP estimate
Thu, 10/22
Evening
5-6 ft @ 11.1 s · overhead
4-5 ft @ 11.6 s
4.2kt sideshore
Mostly cloudy · 63.2°F
CDIP estimate
FRI OCT 23
Fri, 10/23
Morning
7-8 ft @ 8.3 s · overhead
5-6 ft @ 9.4 s
2.7kt onshore
Overcast · 59.7°F
CDIP estimate
Fri, 10/23
Evening
7-8 ft @ 9.1 s · overhead
5-6 ft @ 9.5 s
9.1kt onshore
Mostly cloudy · 64.4°F
CDIP estimate
SAT OCT 24
Sat, 10/24
Morning
7-8 ft @ 9.1 s · overhead
5-6 ft @ 9.7 s
2.4kt offshore
Clear · 65.5°F
CDIP estimate
Sat, 10/24
Evening
6-7 ft @ 9.1 s · overhead
4-5 ft @ 9.9 s
4.2kt onshore
Clear · 72.2°F
CDIP estimate
SUN OCT 25
Sun, 10/25
Morning
5-6 ft @ 9.1 s · overhead
3-4 ft @ 10.5 s
2.6kt offshore
Clear · 68°F
CDIP estimate
Sun, 10/25
Evening
4-5 ft @ 8.3 s · chest-to-head
3-4 ft @ 11.1 s
5.2kt onshore
Overcast · 73.6°F
CDIP estimate
MON OCT 26
Mon, 10/26
Morning
4-5 ft @ 15.4 s · chest-to-head
3-4 ft @ 12.3 s
3.8kt offshore
Partly cloudy · 67.2°F
CDIP estimate
Mon, 10/26
Evening
5-6 ft @ 13.3 s · overhead
3-4 ft @ 12.5 s
4.7kt onshore
Mostly cloudy · 74.9°F
CDIP estimate
TUE OCT 27
Tue, 10/27
Morning
5-6 ft @ 11.1 s · overhead
3-4 ft @ 12.1 s
2kt offshore
Clear · 66.6°F
CDIP estimate
Tue, 10/27
Evening
5-6 ft @ 18.2 s · overhead
3-4 ft @ 12.3 s
4.4kt onshore
Overcast · 72°F
CDIP estimate
WED OCT 28
Wed, 10/28
Morning
3-4 ft @ 13.4 s · chest-to-head
3-4 ft @ 12.6 s
2.2kt offshore
Mostly cloudy · 65.8°F
Exposure estimate
Wed, 10/28
Evening
3-4 ft @ 12.9 s · chest-to-head
3-4 ft @ 12.7 s
4.4kt onshore
Mostly cloudy · 73°F
Exposure estimate
THU OCT 29
Thu, 10/29
Morning
4-5 ft @ 11.7 s · chest-to-head
4-5 ft @ 12.1 s
3kt sideshore
Overcast · 67.8°F
Exposure estimate
Thu, 10/29
Evening
4-5 ft @ 11.3 s · chest-to-head
4-5 ft @ 11.8 s
4.8kt onshore
Overcast · 71.4°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 & timestamps4 sources
Surf estimateCDIP MOP forecast, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
MOP point MO109
Successful fetch
recorded time for the last accepted fetch; not proof the value changed (see source timing details below)
Nearshore forecast for this beach's mapped MOP point, transformed to a breaking height here. The time shown is the hour this forecast is for. 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.
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.
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.
Surf estimateTarline exposure window model on Open-Meteo Marine
request coordinates 35.92,-121.47
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.
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 face8-9 ft @ 12.5 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.
Swell from
276° W forecast
Offshore height
unknown observed and forecast span 3.0 to 6.0 ft
Dominant period
unknown
Beach faces
280° W 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.
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.
Arrows point the way the wind is heading; the reading is the bearing it comes from, 0° = north.
TodayUV 3 ModerateSunrise 7:18 AMSunset 6:22 PMMoonrise 3:59 PMMoonset 2:32 AM Waxing Gibbousapprox. next full moon Oct 27
Weather sources & timestamps3 sources
WeatherOpen-Meteo Forecast API
Requested at 35.9239, -121.4685
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.
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.
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.
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: Cape San Martin · 46028 . Latest prior accepted buoy measurement at each hour, at most three hours old—not a shoreline thermometer or a water-temperature forecast.
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 · 127.6 km from this beach · 1710 m depth
last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM
Significant wave height
9.5 ftobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
Dominant period
13.0 sobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
Average period
10.8 sobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:20 PM · NDBC 46042
65.7 °Fobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042
Wind
5.8 ktobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46042
Gust
9.7 ktobserved 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 °Fobserved 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.
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.
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.
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.
63.0 °Fobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028
Wind
1.9 ktobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46028
Gust
3.9 ktobserved 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 °Fobserved 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.
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.
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.
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.
62.2 °Fobserved 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.
No accepted directional spectrum from the past 90 minutes is available, so no partitions are shown.
Station sources & timestamps3 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.
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.
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.
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.
Moored buoy · 97.2 km from this beach · 27 m depth
last observation Oct 20, 2026, 11:28 PM
Significant wave height
5.9 ftobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 076
Dominant period
13.3 sobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 076
Average period
10.9 sobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 076
Mean wave direction
W 268° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM · CDIP 076
Water temperature
67.5 °Fobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:28 PM · CDIP 076
Wind
–ktnot in the latest transmission
Gust
–ktnot in the latest transmission
Wind direction
–not in the latest transmission
Air temperature
–°Fnot 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 hereWhere 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 5.9 ft @ 13.3s energy period 12.3 s from W 268°
Partitions combine to 5.9 ft significant height , against 5.9 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:00 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
65.8 °Fobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46236
Wind
–ktnot in the latest transmission
Gust
–ktnot in the latest transmission
Wind direction
–not in the latest transmission
Air temperature
62.8 °Fobserved 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 hereWhere 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 2.4 ft @ 13.3s energy period 12.8 s from SSW 205°
Partitions combine to 2.4 ft significant height , against 2.4 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:00 PM.
Station sources & timestamps4 sources
Latest station reportCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (285)
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.
Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (285)
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.
Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (285)
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.
Directional wave spectrumCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (285)
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.
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.
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 hereWhere 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 2.4 ft @ 13.3s energy period 12.8 s from SSW 205°
Partitions combine to 2.4 ft significant height , against 2.4 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:00 PM.
Station sources & timestamps4 sources
Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA
Avila Beach Nearshore (46286)
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.
Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (46286)
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 285. 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.
Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (46286)
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 285. 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.
Directional wave spectrumCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Avila Beach Nearshore (46286)
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.
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.
68.7 °Fobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46011
Wind
3.9 ktobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46011
Gust
5.8 ktobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46011
Wind direction
SE 130° observed Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46011
Air temperature
64.8 °Fobserved Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM · NDBC 46011
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
Santa Maria (46011)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 hereWhere 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 7.5 ft @ 12.5s energy period 12.4 s from WNW 302°
Partitions combine to 7.5 ft significant height , against 7.5 ft measured at the station. Spectrum sampled Oct 20, 11:00 PM.
Station sources & timestamps4 sources
Latest station reportNDBC, NOAA
Santa Lucia Escarpment (46259)
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.
Offshore swellCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Santa Lucia Escarpment (46259)
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 222. 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.
Water temperatureCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Santa Lucia Escarpment (46259)
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 222. 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.
Directional wave spectrumCDIP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Santa Lucia Escarpment (46259)
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.
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.
What a shadow candidate is
A second, unvalidated surf estimate computed from several buoys' directional spectra. It runs alongside the
model this page shows so the two can be compared over time. It does not set the surf figure, the forecast table
or any score on this site, and no accuracy has been established for it. A difference between the two is
agreement between two models, which is not the same thing as either one being right.
Candidate, shadow only 10.8 ft
Production model, same run 7.5 ftmop
Agreement gap, not accuracy +3.3 ft candidate minus the production model at that run
Stations used: Cape San Martin, Point Sur, Diablo Canyon, Monterey Canyon Outer, Monterey
exposure: curated arcs at every frequency, plus a known-land screen on bins at or above 0.09 Hz
1 provider alias observation(s) collapsed before weighting
46286: alias-duplicate -- same physical site as 285; provider aliases are one instrument, not independent evidence
285: nearshore-transformed -- nearshore at this period (h/L0 0.06): a transformed nearshore record, not offshore forcing
Computed Oct 20, 11:33 PM · buoy-spectrum-shadow-3
Panel assembled Wed, Oct 21, 2026, 12:03 AM PDT. That is not how fresh any station reading is.
From the shoreline
Beach Gallery
Community photographs attached to beach reports.
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Public incident records
Nearby Incident Reports
Records within 25 km. Proximity alone does not establish the source of tar at this beach.
No incident reports within 25 km in the last 90 days.
Show older recordsHide older records2More than 90 days ago
DateSourceIncident reportDistance
IncidentNewsSheen report; Off Point Piedras Blancas, CA16.9 km away
On the morning of 09-JUL-2021, a sailing vessel reported a large area of sheen roughly 4.5 miles offshore and 11 miles NW of Point Piedras Blancas. The reporting party indicated that it covered a large area, extending “beyond what the eye can see, it took 15 minutes to sail… through and it is a rainbow sheen with sludge in it.” (from NRC Report No. 1310177). USCG Sector San Francisco contacted their NOAA SSC to discuss the report, as natural oil seeps are known to be in the area. A USCG overflight was scheduled and Sector SF was interested if NOAA NESDIS might have suitable satellite imagery covering that area.
IncidentNewsS/V Sadie; Central Coast, CA15.4 km away
On 21Feb08 at 1030, the SSC was notified by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary of a 38ft. private sailing vessel adrift 1.5 miles off the central California coast near Lopez Point. The skipper called a may day and was airlifted off the vessel by the USCG. The vessel is adrift with torn sails and no anchor.