Wave height in California
Most recent readings from the ocean buoys in the California area.
Open ocean buoy data, not spot by spot forecasts. Before paddling out, check local conditions and beach flags.
Wave height
2.0 m
Medium (1.2 to 2.5 m)
SOUTH SANTA ROSA - 14 NM SW of Santa Rosa Island, CA · 6.6 ft
Period
14 s
10/16/26, 12:50 AM UTC
Water temperature
21.8 °C
| Buoy | Wave height | Period | Water temperature | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTH SANTA ROSA - 14 NM SW of Santa Rosa Island, CA (46069) | 2.0 m | 14 s | 21.8 °C | 12:50 AM |
| Cape Mendocino, CA (094) (46213) | 1.8 m | 14 s | 13.4 °C | 12:30 AM |
| San Nicolas Island, CA (067) (46219) | 1.8 m | 14 s | 21.3 °C | 12:56 AM |
| MONTEREY - 27NM WNW of Monterey, CA (46042) | 1.7 m | 15 s | 17.2 °C | 12:50 AM |
| Point Reyes, CA (029) (46214) | 1.6 m | 13 s | 16.3 °C | 12:26 AM |
| Point Sur, CA (157) (46239) | 1.6 m | 14 s | 19.6 °C | 12:30 AM |
| Santa Lucia Escarpment, CA (222) (46259) | 1.6 m | 15 s | 20.6 °C | 12:56 AM |
| PT ARENA - 19NM North of Point Arena, CA (46014) | 1.5 m | 14 s | 14.2 °C | 12:50 AM |
| CAPE SAN MARTIN - 55NM West NW of Morro Bay, CA (46028) | 1.5 m | 15 s | 17.3 °C | 12:50 AM |
| SAN CLEMENTE BASIN - 27NM SE Of San Clemente Is, CA (46086) | 1.5 m | 15 s | 21.6 °C | 12:50 AM |
| Humboldt Bay, North Spit, CA (168) (46244) | 1.5 m | 14 s | 13.8 °C | 12:26 AM |
| SANTA MARIA - 21NM NW of Point Arguello, CA (46011) | 1.4 m | 15 s | 20.3 °C | 12:50 AM |
| ST GEORGES - 8 NM NW of Crescent City, CA (46027) | 1.4 m | 15 s | — | 12:50 AM |
| Harvest, CA (071) (46218) | 1.4 m | 14 s | 19.9 °C | 12:26 AM |
| BODEGA BAY - 48NM NW of San Francisco, CA (46013) | 1.3 m | 15 s | — | 12:50 AM |
| SAN FRANCISCO - 18NM West of San Francisco, CA (46026) | 1.2 m | 14 s | — | 12:50 AM |
| WEST SANTA BARBARA 38 NM West of Santa Barbara, CA (46054) | 1.2 m | 15 s | 20.4 °C | 12:50 AM |
| Point Loma South, CA (191) (46232) | 1.2 m | 14 s | 22.8 °C | 12:56 AM |
| San Francisco Bar, CA (142) (46237) | 1.2 m | 15 s | 16.6 °C | 12:30 AM |
| Long Beach Channel, CA (215) (46256) | 1.2 m | 15 s | 22.1 °C | 12:56 AM |
| Monterey Canyon Outer, CA (156) (46236) | 1.1 m | 13 s | 17.9 °C | 12:30 AM |
| Mission Bay West, CA (220) (46258) | 1.1 m | 14 s | 22.8 °C | 12:26 AM |
| Green Beach Offshore, CA (271) (46277) | 1.1 m | 15 s | 23.0 °C | 12:30 AM |
| Diablo Canyon, CA (076) (46215) | 1.0 m | 14 s | 19.4 °C | 12:56 AM |
| Torrey Pines Outer, CA (100) (46225) | 1.0 m | 14 s | 23.0 °C | 12:56 AM |
| Santa Cruz Basin, CA (203) (46251) | 1.0 m | 15 s | 21.2 °C | 12:56 AM |
| Capistrano Beach Nearshore, CA (284) (46285) | 1.0 m | 15 s | 22.4 °C | 12:56 AM |
| HALF MOON BAY - 24NM SSW of San Francisco, CA (46012) | 0.9 m | 13 s | 16.0 °C | 12:00 AM |
| Santa Monica Basin - 33NM WSW of Santa Monica, CA (46025) | 0.9 m | 14 s | 22.4 °C | 12:50 AM |
| Santa Monica Bay, CA (028) (46221) | 0.9 m | 14 s | 22.1 °C | 12:56 AM |
Wave height
| Range | What it means |
|---|---|
| Flat (under 0.5 m) | |
| Small (0.5 to 1.2 m) | |
| Medium (1.2 to 2.5 m) | |
| Large (2.5 to 4 m) | |
| Very large (above 4 m) |
Choose a region
How to read this page
How to read wave height
The 2.0 m significant height is the average of the tallest third of waves at the buoy, with a 14 s period; occasional waves run close to double that.
What the number doesn’t tell you
The buoy measures a single point; the beach itself can have quite different wave height and shape, from bathymetry and local wind.
Words on this page
Significant wave height
The average of the highest third of waves measured by a buoy over a time window, not the single tallest wave seen. In practice, occasional individual waves reach nearly double that value, which is why surfers and sailors treat significant height as a floor, not a ceiling.
Standard definition by NOAA NDBC — National Data Buoy Center · Significant wave height
Preliminary data
A measurement published as soon as it is collected, before the agency’s final review. It can be corrected or withdrawn: earthquake magnitudes shift in the first hours, air-quality readings are revised weeks later. Use it to plan your day, not for regulatory or legal purposes.
Data from 10/16/26, 12:56 AM UTC
- NOAA National Data Buoy Center — últimas observaçõesLicence: Domínio público (dado federal dos EUA) · Credit: NOAA / National Data Buoy Center
How to read these numbers
Buoys are listed from the largest wave height down. The time of each reading is in UTC, as the source publishes it.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the surf in California right now?
- The table carries the significant height and period for each buoy in the area, with the observation time.
- Why does a buoy show no wave height?
- Some buoys only measure wind, pressure and temperature. We list only those reporting wave height.