La Jolla Shores, right now.
San Diego's most used training site. A wide beach, a gentle sandy slope and, a short swim out, the edge of the La Jolla canyon.
Right now
Updated Wed 1:08 AM. Refreshes about every 30 minutes.
Coastal Flood Warning. Coastal Flood Warning issued October 27 at 9:34PM PDT until October 29 at 1:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Swell
0.7 ft at 11.1 s
From the WNW. Wind waves 2 ft at 7.7 s. Combined wave height 2 ft.
Measured Wed 12:26 AM at the Scripps Nearshore buoy.
Water temperature
73°F
Scripps Pier 73°F, Scripps Nearshore buoy 73°F. At the surface. It’s usually colder below the thermocline, sometimes a lot colder.
Scripps Pier, Wed 12:36 AM.
Wind
5 mph SE
Mostly Cloudy. Up to 5 mph over the next 12 hours.
National Weather Service hourly forecast.
Rain, last 72 hours
None reported
San Diego airport.
Tides
| Low | Wed 4:01 AM | 2.0 ft |
|---|---|---|
| High | Wed 10:26 AM | 6.5 ft |
| Low | Wed 5:51 PM | -0.8 ft |
| High | Thu 12:29 AM | 3.5 ft |
| Low | Thu 4:38 AM | 2.4 ft |
| High | Thu 11:11 AM | 6.3 ft |
Predicted at La Jolla (Scripps Pier). Heights above mean lower low water.
Visibility
Not measured
No instrument measures visibility here, so we won’t guess a number. Three things drive it: swell stirring the bottom, runoff after rain, and plankton blooms, most often in late spring and early summer. Small swell and no recent rain are a good start. The only real answer is a diver who was just in the water.
Sources: NOAA buoy 46254, NOAA tides 9410230, National Weather Service. Check the surf zone forecast for surf heights and rip current risk.
What to watch at La Jolla Shores
- Shore break
- The entry is a beach, so the waves breaking on it decide your day. Even small surf is harder with heavy gear.
- Swell period
- Long-period swell carries more energy than its height suggests. It means bigger sets on the beach and more surge.
- Boats
- The launch area is busy. Surface with a plan, and send up your SMB before you ascend.
Entry. Beach entry. Most divers go in near the Vallecitos Street restrooms, in front of the main lifeguard tower, or in front of the Sea Lodge for a shorter swim to the canyon. Stay clear of the boat launch lane.
Depth. Shallow sand flats, a slope that gets deeper toward the canyon, and the canyon edge itself.
Questions
Where do these La Jolla Shores conditions come from?
Swell, period and direction come from the Scripps Nearshore wave buoy, just offshore of La Jolla. Water temperature and tides come from NOAA's station at Scripps Pier, right at the north end of the Shores. Wind, the forecast and surf alerts come from the National Weather Service.
What's the visibility at La Jolla Shores today?
Nobody measures it, so we don't guess. Swell, recent rain and plankton drive it. Small swell, no recent rain and no bloom usually mean better visibility. The only real answer is a diver who was just in the water.
Before you go
Conditions don’t make the call. Your team does.
A buoy reading tells you what the ocean is doing offshore. It doesn’t tell you what the entry looks like or whether the plan still works. Watch a few sets, plan the exit first, then decide. Want to dive it with us? See Essentials of Recreational Diving.