La Jolla Dive Forecasts

Monday, Mar 9 | Grade: B

  • Conditions: 2+ ft surf, light N/NW winds 3-8 mph. WNW swell 1.8-1.9 ft @ 11s. Fair to choppy.
  • Outlook: Smallest surf of the period with light winds. Good clarity for shore diving.
  • Estimated Viz: 12-18 ft

Tuesday, Mar 10 | Grade: B+

  • Conditions: 2-4 ft building, SW swell developing. Clean early (light NNW/SE 1-4 mph), choppy afternoon (SW 9-10 mph).
  • Outlook: Longer period swell arriving. Morning offers best window before winds build.
  • Estimated Viz: 12-20 ft

Wednesday, Mar 11 | Grade: A ⭐ BEST DAY

  • Conditions: 3-5 ft peak surf, NW swell 5 ft @ 18-20s. Clean early (NNW 1 mph), choppy midday (WNW 9-10 mph).
  • Outlook: Best day — powerful long-period swell with excellent morning clarity. Deep water viz peak before wind stirs surface.
  • Estimated Viz: 15-25 ft

Thursday, Mar 12 | Grade: B

  • Conditions: 2-4 ft decreasing, WNW/SW swell mix. Light winds early, building SW 6-9 mph.
  • Outlook: Swell fading but still manageable. Viz holding steady from peak day.
  • Estimated Viz: 10-15 ft

Friday, Mar 13 | Grade: C+

  • Conditions: 2-3 ft choppy, wind waves building. S to SW winds 5-15 mph.
  • Outlook: Wind-driven chop affects surface clarity. Early morning best before winds build.
  • Estimated Viz: 8-12 ft

Saturday, Mar 14 | Grade: C+

  • Conditions: 2-3 ft, small WNW wind waves ~1.5 ft. Variable to light winds becoming W/NW.
  • Outlook: Marginal conditions persist. Transitional period as new swell pattern develops.
  • Estimated Viz: 8-12 ft

Sunday, Mar 15 | Grade: B-

  • Conditions: 2-3 ft surf, SSE winds 6-7 mph. WNW swell 2 ft @ 11s. Fair conditions with light chop.
  • Outlook: Small swell with moderate winds. Good morning entry window before afternoon chop.
  • Estimated Viz: 10-15 ft

🌊 Environmental Factors

  • Swell Pattern: Fading NW swell early week (Mar 9-10), transitioning to new SW/NW groundswell mid-week peaking Mar 11 at 5 ft / 18-20s. Long-period energy provides excellent diving conditions despite larger surf.
  • Wind: Generally light offshore/cross-offshore mornings (NNW/SSE 1-6 mph), transitioning to onshore SW-W 9-15 mph afternoons. Best dive windows 6-10 AM daily.
  • Water Temperature: 60-62°F (15.5-16.5°C). 3/2mm wetsuit recommended. Slightly warmer than historical March averages due to mild conditions.
  • Chlorophyll/Plankton: Early March transitioning from winter clarity toward spring bloom conditions. Recent reports show 10-30 ft viz with patchy green water from upwelling. No significant red tide events forecast.

🔎 Forecast Methodology

We model forecasts using a 2–3 day post-swell recovery lag calculation combined with:

  • Wind/Weather: NOAA Marine Forecast + OpenWeather (San Diego coastal)
  • Waves/Swell: CDIP Buoy Data + Surfline Spot Reports (Scripps Pier)
  • Water Clarity: NOAA CoastWatch Chlorophyll Satellite + Local Dive Reports
  • Water Temperature: Scripps Pier Buoy (Station 073)

Last updated: March 8, 2026 at 7:45 PM UTC