Surf in Los Angeles today
Los Angeles County, California · 19 breaks ranked
County Line is the call in Los Angeles today - chest to head high at 16 seconds with almost no wind, rated poor to fair. Leo Carrillo is close behind.
1County Line3.6ft–3.9ft
37.7 km6kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
2Leo Carrillo3.6ft–3.9ft
34.7 km6kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
3Sunset Point3.6ft–3.9ft
9.4 km7kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
4Malibu First Point3.6ft–3.9ft
13.2 km5kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
5Malibu Third Point3.6ft–3.9ft
13.2 km6kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
6Point Dume3.6ft–3.9ft
22.1 km6kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best Noon–6pm
7Topanga Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
9.2 km6kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
8Will Rogers State Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
9.4 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–2pm
9Zuma Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
25.1 km6kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
10Santa Monica Pier3.6ft–3.9ft
9.0 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
11Venice Breakwater3.9ft–4.3ft
9.6 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
12Venice Beach Pier3.9ft–4.3ft
9.9 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
13El Porto3.9ft–4.3ft
15.1 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
14Manhattan Beach Pier3.9ft–4.3ft
17.0 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
15Hermosa Beach Pier3.9ft–4.3ft
18.5 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
16Redondo Breakwater3.9ft–4.3ft
19.6 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
17Torrance Beach3.9ft–4.3ft
23.0 km7kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon
18Haggerty's3.9ft–4.3ft
23.2 km6kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–6pm
19Lunada Bay3.9ft–4.3ft
24.3 km6kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best Noon–4pm
Tomorrow, Friday 18 September
County Line is the call in Los Angeles tomorrow - chest to head high at 15 seconds with light offshore wind, rated poor to fair. Leo Carrillo is close behind.
1County Line3.9ft–4.3ft
37.7 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–6pm
2Leo Carrillo3.9ft–4.3ft
34.7 km5kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–6pm
3Malibu First Point3.6ft–3.9ft
13.2 km2kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–6pm
4Malibu Third Point3.6ft–3.9ft
13.2 km3kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–6pm
5Point Dume3.6ft–3.9ft
22.1 km6kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–6pm
6Haggerty's3.9ft–4.3ft
23.2 km2kn cross-shore
6am6pm
Poor to Fair · best 6am–2pm
7Sunset Point3.6ft–3.9ft
9.4 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–Noon
8Topanga Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
9.2 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
9Will Rogers State Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
9.4 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
10Zuma Beach3.6ft–3.9ft
25.1 km6kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
11Santa Monica Pier3.6ft–3.9ft
9.0 km5kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
12Venice Breakwater3.9ft–4.3ft
9.6 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
13Venice Beach Pier3.9ft–4.3ft
9.9 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
14El Porto3.9ft–4.3ft
15.1 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–8am
15Manhattan Beach Pier3.9ft–4.3ft
17.0 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
16Hermosa Beach Pier3.9ft–4.3ft
18.5 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
17Redondo Breakwater3.9ft–4.3ft
19.6 km4kn offshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
18Torrance Beach3.9ft–4.3ft
23.0 km3kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 8am–10am
19Lunada Bay3.9ft–4.3ft
24.3 km2kn onshore
6am6pm
Poor · best 6am–10am
Surfing in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has two coasts that face different ways. Malibu and the beaches up to County Line face south and come alive on summer south swell - Malibu's First Point is the most famous longboard wave in the world for that reason. The South Bay - El Porto, Manhattan, Hermosa - faces west and takes winter north-west swell that Malibu barely sees.
So the daily question is which way the swell is coming from and which coast it favours. This page ranks the county's named breaks from today's and tomorrow's forecast, using the same model as the app.
Where should a beginner surf in Los Angeles?
Malibu's First Point on a small day is slow and forgiving, if crowded; Will Rogers and Santa Monica's beaches are sandy and gentle; Zuma on a small day is wide open. In the South Bay, Torrance Beach and Manhattan's southern stretch are the softer options.
Lunada Bay and Haggerty's on the Palos Verdes peninsula are rocky, powerful and unwelcoming to outsiders. El Porto gets heavy on a winter swell.
When is the best time to surf Los Angeles?
Summer for Malibu and the north coast, when south swell arrives from June to September and First Point lines up for two hundred yards. Winter for the South Bay on north-west groundswell, with Santa Ana winds making the cleanest mornings from October to December. Spring is windy and inconsistent everywhere.
Common questions
Is Malibu good today?
The table above says. First Point needs south swell; on a north-west winter swell it is small and the South Bay is the call.
Where should a beginner surf in LA?
Will Rogers or Santa Monica for sand and gentle waves; Malibu First Point on a small day for a long, slow ride, if you can bear the crowd.
When is the best time of year to surf Los Angeles?
Summer for Malibu and south swell; autumn and winter for the South Bay on north-west swell with offshore mornings.
Is El Porto good for beginners?
Not on a real swell - it is the most powerful beach break in the South Bay. On a small summer day it is manageable.
Which LA beaches are cleanest to surf?
The further from creek mouths and storm drains the better, and never within three days of rain. Zuma and the Malibu beaches west of Point Dume are the most reliable.
Forecast generated 17 September at 20:38 UTC. Open-Meteo marine forecast (EWAM/GFS Wave), scored with Frontside's model.
Description last checked 2026-09-17.
