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Cardiff Reef surf forecast & spot guide

Surf, wind and tide context for Cardiff Reef, Cardiff / Solana. Read the spot profile, compare forecasts and open the same break in the atlas.

Open Cardiff Reef on the map ↗Best surf near me

Forecast & tide at a glance

Estimated surf face · feet · Pacific time. The existing PureSurfers face-estimation engine; not a measured or calibrated breaking-wave report.

Estimated surf face1.3 ftOlder cached forecast Fri Oct 2, 10:00am Pacific
Coastal wind2.6 mphWNW from · older cache
NOAA tide reference—MLLW · not loaded

Coastal wind retrieved Fri Oct 2, 9:04am · older cache. This is regional modeled wind, not a beach measurement.

Source retrievals: GFS Oct 2, 9:04am (older cache) · ECMWF Oct 2, 9:04am (older cache) · MFWAM Oct 2, 9:04am (older cache). Retrieval time is not the model issue time. This page combines all available cached model families; map model selections are separate.

Seven-day overview

06:00–19:00 forecast hours; daily values are not a full-day maximum.
Pacific dayEstimated surf faceMean windHours available
Fri Oct 21.3 ft5.9 mph14/14
Sat Oct 31.3 ft6.4 mph14/14
Sun Oct 41.4 ft7.5 mph14/14
Mon Oct 51.4 ft7.3 mph14/14
Tue Oct 61.5 ft5.5 mph14/14
Wed Oct 71.8 ft4.9 mph14/14
Thu Oct 82.2 ft4.8 mph14/14
Hourly details · next 72 hours
Pacific timeEstimated surf faceModel rangeSet proxySwell fromWindTide MLLWModels
Fri 10:00am1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.2 s2.6 mph WNW—3
Fri 11:00am1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.2 s5.9 mph W—3
Fri 12:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.2 s9.5 mph WNW—3
Fri 1:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.1 s8.6 mph WNW—3
Fri 2:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.0 s9.4 mph WNW—3
Fri 3:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 9.9 s9.2 mph WNW—3
Fri 4:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 11.0 s9.9 mph NW—3
Fri 5:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.9 s7.5 mph NW—3
Fri 6:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 10.9 s6.2 mph NW—3
Fri 7:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftWSW · 9.7 s5.2 mph NW—3
Fri 8:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 10.8 s2.7 mph WNW—3
Fri 9:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 10.8 s2.5 mph WNW—3
Fri 10:00pm1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftWSW · 9.6 s2.0 mph WSW—3
Fri 11:00pm1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftWSW · 9.6 s1.7 mph SE—3
Sat 12:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftWSW · 9.6 s0.6 mph WNW—3
Sat 1:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 10.7 s0.9 mph W—3
Sat 2:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 10.8 s1.3 mph NNE—3
Sat 3:00am1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft1.9 ftSW · 10.8 s3.2 mph SE—3
Sat 4:00am1.2 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 10.9 s3.4 mph NNW—3
Sat 5:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 10.9 s2.4 mph N—3
Sat 6:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.0 s2.1 mph E—3
Sat 7:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.1 s3.4 mph N—3
Sat 8:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.2 s1.9 mph NNE—3
Sat 9:00am1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.3 s1.0 mph SSW—3
Sat 10:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.3 s1.4 mph ENE—3
Sat 11:00am1.3 ft0.0–1.9 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.4 s7.6 mph SW—3
Sat 12:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.5 s7.5 mph SW—3
Sat 1:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.6 s5.9 mph W—3
Sat 2:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.6 s7.8 mph WNW—3
Sat 3:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft1.9 ftSW · 11.6 s10.3 mph NW—3
Sat 4:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.5 s10.5 mph NW—3
Sat 5:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.4 s11.1 mph NW—3
Sat 6:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.5 s10.2 mph NNW—3
Sat 7:00pm1.3 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.7 s9.4 mph N—3
Sat 8:00pm1.4 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.0 ftSW · 11.8 s3.3 mph ENE—3
Sat 9:00pm1.4 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.1 ftSW · 12.0 s2.9 mph SSW—3
Sat 10:00pm1.4 ft0.0–2.0 ft2.0 ftSW · 12.1 s2.9 mph SE—3
Sat 11:00pm1.4 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.0 ftSW · 12.2 s2.2 mph SSE—3
Sun 12:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.1 ftSW · 12.2 s4.1 mph SSE—3
Sun 1:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.1 ftSW · 10.7 s3.2 mph SSE—3
Sun 2:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.1 ft2.1 ftSW · 10.8 s1.1 mph WNW—3
Sun 3:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.0 s1.8 mph ENE—3
Sun 4:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.1 s4.6 mph ENE—3
Sun 5:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.2 s5.0 mph SE—3
Sun 6:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.4 s6.7 mph ENE—3
Sun 7:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.5 s6.9 mph ENE—3
Sun 8:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.6 s6.4 mph E—3
Sun 9:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.7 s7.7 mph E—3
Sun 10:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.7 s9.5 mph E—3
Sun 11:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.7 s6.4 mph SE—3
Sun 12:00pm1.4 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.6 s4.9 mph SW—3
Sun 1:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.4 s7.1 mph WSW—3
Sun 2:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s7.6 mph W—3
Sun 3:00pm1.4 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.2 s9.3 mph WNW—3
Sun 4:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.2 s9.4 mph WNW—3
Sun 5:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.2 s8.8 mph WNW—3
Sun 6:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.2 s7.2 mph WNW—3
Sun 7:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s6.5 mph WNW—3
Sun 8:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s5.5 mph NW—3
Sun 9:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s3.4 mph N—3
Sun 10:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s2.6 mph NNE—3
Sun 11:00pm1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s2.7 mph NNE—3
Mon 12:00am1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s2.6 mph NNE—3
Mon 1:00am1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.3 s3.3 mph NNE—3
Mon 2:00am1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.4 s3.7 mph NE—3
Mon 3:00am1.5 ft0.0–2.3 ft2.2 ftSW · 11.5 s3.8 mph NE—3
Mon 4:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.5 s3.7 mph ENE—3
Mon 5:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSW · 11.6 s3.6 mph ENE—3
Mon 6:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSSW · 11.7 s3.4 mph ENE—3
Mon 7:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSSW · 11.7 s4.2 mph ENE—3
Mon 8:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSSW · 11.8 s4.7 mph ENE—3
Mon 9:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSSW · 11.8 s8.3 mph ENE—3
Mon 10:00am1.4 ft0.0–2.2 ft2.1 ftSSW · 11.7 s12.1 mph E—3

Model spread is not a confidence interval. Tide and wind are context, not new corrections to surf size. Larger sets and changing hazards remain possible.

This page reads the shared cache first. Refresh requests only this spot’s existing regional samples.

Know the spot

The classic cobbly Cardiff reef.

Break type
Reef / point
Wave direction
Right-dominant
Reported difficulty
Beginner–intermediate
Bottom
Rock / reef
Reported swell preference
S–W
Reported tide preference
Low–mid

A friendly but iconic right zone with useful shoulders and supporting peaks. Source note: Imported 6.8 catalogue; place and confirm the takeoff.

Before paddling out: Currents, crowding, submerged rock or cobble, water-quality changes after rain, and shifting bars.

Public access Owner-placed takeoff; not a survey

Source references

Provenance is not proof that every inherited claim or current access condition has been rechecked.

Camera references nearby

Del Mar · 17th Street ↗

City of Del Mar / HDOnTap · about 6.1 km from the catalogue pin · video-page

City beach-camera collection at 17th Street with multiple viewing directions.

Links to third-party camera pages, not owned feeds. Proximity does not confirm the camera sees this break. Playback and image freshness have not been verified by this page.

Make the next session easier

Lineup etiquette · Paddling technique · How these forecasts work

Nearby spots to compare

PureSurfers is built by Peter Ochabski. Spot profiles combine retained sources and contributor observations; this is not a claim he has surfed or verified every entry.