Today across the Southern California coast, onshore flow is strengthening to provide a mix of hazardous conditions for small craft and moderate surf for beachgoers. For the coastal waters from San Mateo Point to the Mexican Border, weather conditions remain dynamic with a Small Craft Advisory in effect. You can expect west to northwest winds shifting from 10 to 15 knots, with afternoon gusts potentially reaching 25 knots in outer waters. Temperatures along the immediate coast will hover near a comfortable high of 68° with overnight lows dipping toward 54°.
Wave sizes across the region are averaging between 2 and 4 feet, though larger sets up to 6 feet are possible in the outer Santa Barbara Channel. Current data from the San Pedro Channel buoy indicates a significant swell of 2.3 feet with a dominant 15-second period originating from the south at 181°. Additionally, the East Santa Barbara buoy shows a secondary northwest wind swell of approximately 3 feet at 7 seconds. These combined energy sources are creating consistent but manageable conditions for local breaks.
Tide levels for the Los Angeles harbor area start with a low tide of -0.80 feet at 7:31 AM, followed by a high tide of 3.11 feet at 2:37 PM, and a final evening low of 2.59 feet at 6:09 PM. Looking ahead to tomorrow, the marine environment will stabilize slightly with lighter winds and steady 3 to 4 foot swells as the current onshore peak subsides. Weather and ocean data provided by NOAA ensure high accuracy for those planning to be on or near the water today.