San Diego Coastal Marine Forecast
Updated Fri Sep 11, 2026
Great weekend boating, Sunday seas turn choppier
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Marine Forecast for San Diego Sep 11–13, 2026
📋 Great weekend boating, Sunday seas turn choppier
A great day on the water with light 2-11 knots SSW winds (gusts to 14 knots) and smooth 3.8-4.1 feet seas at 10-second periods from the southwest. Clear skies, 10+nm visibility, and no rain make this an easy go all day.
Another favorable day with gentle 2-11 knots W winds (gusts to 16 knots) and comfortable 3.9-4.7 feet seas at 9-second periods from the WSW. Visibility stays excellent and conditions hold good all day for a relaxed outing.
Winds stay manageable at 6-12 knots WNW (gusts 16 knots), but seas build to 4.7-5.4 feet at a shorter 7-second period from the west, creating a steeper, choppier ride after the first couple hours. Waves are only good from midnight to 1:00 AM, so most of the day calls for caution.
Friday 4:00 PM through Saturday into the early morning offers the calmest stretch, with light 3 knots SSW winds and organized 4 feet seas at 10-second periods from the southwest.
Recent days at San Diego
Today’s Water at San Diego
Sea surface temperature and chlorophyll around San Diego, imaged fresh every morning. Water at the star is 72.9°F today, and chlorophyll of 0.55 mg/m³ reads as green shelf water at the spot.
Imagery: Sep 10, 2026 · rebuilt every morning
These charts show you the breaks. DeepCast reads them. A zone-by-zone AI fishing report for these exact waters — temperature edges, color changes, and structure, analyzed together — for $4.99.
Get the AI fishing reportSST and chlorophyll from the SeaLegs AI DeepCast satellite pipeline. Charts are a planning aid — always check the official marine forecast before making the run.
About San Diego's coastal waters
This forecast covers the open coastal waters off San Diego — a point about 9 nautical miles west of Point Loma, in the water most local trips actually cross: the runs out of Mission Bay and San Diego Bay toward the kelp edges, the 9-Mile Bank, and the passage south toward the Coronados. It deliberately sits clear of the bays, because it is the open water, not the harbor, that decides whether a day works.
The outlook below updates every morning from the latest marine model data, with a plain GO / CAUTION / NO-GO call for each day — the same AI rating used in the SeaLegs AI app.
Reading San Diego coastal water
San Diego's defining pattern is mixed swell. WNW Pacific groundswell is the winter staple, while summer brings long-period south swell from the Southern Hemisphere — and on many days both are running at once, crossing a locally generated wind-wave. That is why the same wave height can ride so differently here: read the period and direction next to the height on every day card, and treat a crossed sea as rougher than its height suggests.
Wind follows the classic sea-breeze clock: mornings are usually the calm half of the day, with a westerly filling in through the afternoon — so a smooth run out is not a promise about the ride home. In late spring and early summer the marine layer can hold visibility down through the morning, and in the cooler months Santa Ana events reverse the pattern entirely, sending gusty offshore wind down the slopes with little warning.
This page is a planning aid, not a substitute for the National Weather Service's coastal waters forecasts and warnings — always check those before you leave the dock.
San Diego forecast FAQ
How is the sea at San Diego today?
As of Sep 11, 2026, the SeaLegs AI verdict for San Diego is GO. A great day on the water with light 2-11 knots SSW winds (gusts to 14 knots) and smooth 3.8-4.1 feet seas at 10-second periods from the southwest. Clear skies, 10+nm visibility, and no rain make this an easy go all day.
What water does this San Diego forecast cover?
The forecast point sits about 9 nautical miles west of Point Loma, in the open coastal waters zone rather than inside San Diego Bay or Mission Bay. Conditions inshore and inside the kelp line will usually be milder than shown here, while the outer banks can be rougher.
Why do the seas off San Diego often feel confused?
Because two swell trains frequently run at once — WNW Pacific groundswell and, in summer, long-period south swell from the Southern Hemisphere — crossing the local wind-wave. A crossed sea rides rougher than its height suggests, so read the period and direction together, not the height alone.
When is the wind lightest off San Diego?
Mornings, most of the year. The westerly sea breeze typically fills in and builds through the afternoon, which is why the return leg often takes more wind than the run out. In the cooler months, watch for Santa Ana events that bring gusty offshore winds instead.
Does this forecast cover the Coronado Islands or the offshore banks?
Nearby coastal water like the 9-Mile Bank and the run toward the Coronados generally behaves like this forecast point. For the far offshore grounds, see our separate Cortez Bank page, which covers the open-ocean water about 100 miles out.
What do GO, CAUTION, and NO-GO mean?
GO means conditions are favorable for most recreational boats. CAUTION means marginal — pay close attention to swell period, crossing seas, and the afternoon wind trend. NO-GO means conditions are hazardous for small craft and the trip is best postponed.
Can I get a forecast like this for my own spot?
Yes. In the free SeaLegs AI app you can drop a pin anywhere — the 9-Mile Bank, La Jolla, or your own waypoint — and get the same AI-rated marine forecast, plus fishing reports and trip planning.
What is the water temperature at San Diego today?
As of Sep 10, 2026, the satellite-derived sea surface temperature at San Diego is about 72.9°F, with chlorophyll around 0.55 mg/m³ (green shelf water). The SST and chlorophyll charts on this page are rebuilt every morning from the SeaLegs AI DeepCast satellite pipeline.
More offshore forecasts
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