Live ocean temperature for Ocean Beach, San Diego, what wetsuit to wear, and the average for every month.
Water temperature right now
--°F
Loading live data… Typical for this month:
Sources: NOAA station 9410230, Scripps Pier, La Jolla (the nearest official ocean sensor, about 8 miles north of OB) , and the Open-Meteo marine model for the water off Ocean Beach.
Averages from NOAA's Scripps Pier sensor for 2021–2025 (hourly readings, about 43,000 of them). Ocean Beach runs very close to these numbers, though the surface can be a degree or two warmer on calm summer afternoons.
| Month | Average | Typical wetsuit |
|---|---|---|
| January | 58.3°F | 4/3 mm full wetsuit |
| February | 58.3°F | 4/3 mm full wetsuit |
| March | 58.7°F | 4/3 mm full wetsuit |
| April | 59.8°F | 4/3 or 3/2 mm full wetsuit |
| May | 63.8°F | 3/2 mm full wetsuit |
| June | 65.1°F | 3/2 mm full wetsuit |
| July | 67.1°F | 3/2 mm or springsuit |
| August | 68.0°F | Springsuit or swimsuit |
| September | 67.2°F | Springsuit or 3/2 mm |
| October | 64.6°F | 3/2 mm full wetsuit |
| November | 62.5°F | 3/2 or 4/3 mm full wetsuit |
| December | 60.3°F | 4/3 mm full wetsuit |
Warmest: August (about 68°F), with late July to mid-September the best stretch for swimming without a wetsuit. Coldest: January and February (about 58°F).
| Water temperature | What most people wear |
|---|---|
| 72°F and up | Swimsuit or boardshorts; rash guard for sun |
| 68–71°F | Swimsuit, or a 2 mm springsuit or wetsuit top |
| 64–67°F | 3/2 mm full wetsuit (springsuit if you run warm) |
| 60–63°F | 3/2 or 4/3 mm full wetsuit |
| Below 60°F | 4/3 mm full wetsuit; booties help |
Kids and anyone staying in for a long time get cold faster, so go one step warmer. Many local surf shops rent wetsuits by the day. Heading out to surf? Check the surf and tides today and our OB surf guide.
Spring and early summer winds can pull cold water up from below (upwelling), dropping the temperature 5–10°F within days, even in June. Warm spells usually come from late-summer south swells and calm weather. That's why the live reading above can be far from the monthly average.
The live reading at the top of this page updates every time you open it, using NOAA's Scripps Pier sensor and a marine model for the water off Ocean Beach. In October the water averages about 64.6°F.
August, at about 68°F on average (2021–2025), with late July to mid-September the warmest stretch.
Most of the year, yes. Below about 64°F most people wear a full 3/2 mm wetsuit or thicker. From roughly late July to September many swimmers go without one.
January and February, at about 58°F on average.