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Los Angeles County, California Weather and Marine Report
Report time: July 13, 2026, 2:26 PM PDT
Today’s coastal weather for Los Angeles County is set up with a gentle marine influence, light winds near shore, and a modest sea state that favors manageable conditions for beach and harbor use. NOAA’s Los Angeles coastal forecast shows generally light winds at first, then a west to northwest breeze building through the afternoon, with nearshore seas around 2 to 3 feet in the inner waters and 3 to 4 feet farther offshore [web:8].
Nearby buoy data support that picture with small, rideable surf and a long-period southern swell. Santa Monica Bay buoy 46221 reported significant wave height near 2.0 feet, swell height around 1.6 feet, swell period 15.4 seconds, and swell direction from the south-southwest, while buoy 46025 in the Santa Monica Basin showed 2.0 feet of significant wave height, 2.0 feet of swell, a 14.8-second period, and a southerly swell direction [page:46221][page:46025].
Average wave size across the nearshore zone is roughly 2 to 3 feet, with the cleanest energy coming from the south to south-southwest and a shorter west wind wave layered on top [page:46221][page:46025]. That means the surf should stay on the small side overall, but the long period can still produce occasional larger sets on exposed breaks [web:8][page:46221].
For tides, NOAA’s Los Angeles tide station indicates the day is moving through a normal mixed pattern, with one low tide and one high tide cycle that matter most for beach timing [web:3]. For a brief tide check, plan around the next visible swing between lower and higher water, since that will affect surf shape and harbor depth most noticeably [web:3].
In plain terms, the day looks relatively calm, with small surf, light to moderate breeze, and no major marine hazard signal in the available NOAA products [web:8][page:46221][page:46025]. The best beach windows will likely be the smoother, lighter-wind parts of the day before the afternoon breeze strengthens [web:8].
raw data from noaa, curated by surforecast pacificwaverider
References: NOAA/NWS coastal marine forecast for Los Angeles [web:8], NOAA tide predictions for Los Angeles [web:3], NOAA NDBC buoy 46221 Santa Monica Bay [page:46221], NOAA NDBC buoy 46025 Santa Monica Basin [page:46025].
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