Rain check, the County's latest beach status for Ocean Beach, and what advisories and closures mean.
Rain check (County 72-hour rule)
Checking…Checking rainfall in Ocean Beach over the last three days…
Rain data from Open-Meteo. Official advisories, warnings and closures come only from the County of San Diego Beach & Bay program; always check it, and posted signs, before you go in.
Live, official status: sdbeachinfo.com (map of every sampling site) or the County's beach hotline at (619) 338-2073. You can also sign up there for email or text alerts.
| Notice | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| General advisory | Issued countywide after 0.2 inch or more of rain, because storm runoff carries bacteria into the ocean. No signs are posted. | Stay out of the water for 72 hours after the rain ends. |
| Advisory / warning | Testing found bacteria above state standards at a sampling site. Signs go up about 150 feet on either side. | Avoid water contact near the signs. |
| Closure | A sewage spill affects, or may affect, the water. | Stay out of the closed area until it reopens. |
Planning a swim? Check the water temperature today and the surf and tides too.
Check two things: whether it has rained 0.2 inch or more in the last 72 hours (the rain check at the top of this page) and the County's official status at sdbeachinfo.com. If neither shows a problem and there are no signs posted, the water is generally considered fine for swimming.
The County of San Diego advises avoiding contact with ocean and bay water for 72 hours after rainfall of 0.2 inch or more, because runoff carries bacteria into the water.
The ongoing sewage closures are in the South Bay, at Imperial Beach and the border. Ocean Beach is more than 10 miles north. Check sdbeachinfo.com for the current status of every beach.
In dry weather it usually tests within standards, but Dog Beach sits next to the mouth of the San Diego River, so it is one of the first places affected after rain. Keep dogs out of the water for 72 hours after a storm too.