Rough water today
forecastNo weather alert for Carlsbad State Beach, but the forecast has waves to 5 ft. Fine for a walk, not for a swim.
Rough water today. Partly cloudy, high near 71°. No real rain risk. Driest stretch: all day, but dry isn't calm. Keep out of rough water.
forecastRain OutlookOpen-Meteo
tap an hourTop rain chance is just 0%, but dry doesn't mean calm today. See the surf and wind above.
Tide
0.3 ft · falling ↘
Next low tide
12:24 PM 0.2 ft
T−…
1.9 ft of drop from the 7:54 AM high; the wet sand is widest from about 11:24 AM.
Wind
8 mph
from the WNW
UV Index
Moderate
easy sunscreen day
Time to Burn
UV 5 · incl. sand glarefor unprotected fair skin (burns easily, tans a little). SPF 30+, reapply every 2 hours and after every swim.
An estimate from the standard erythemal dose model, not a medical limit. Darker skin burns more slowly than this, people vary either way, and sunscreen only helps if you use enough of it and reapply.
Rip Current Riskestimated
todayDangerous currents likely. Knee-deep only, lifeguarded sand only.
Caught in one? Don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you’re free, then angle back in.
Beach Flag
Red Flag
knee-deep only
estimated · trust the lifeguard
Water Quality
bacteria testingCarlsbad has been posted or closed for bacteria 38 times since 2022, most often for bacterial standards violation.
This is history, not today. The state archive runs months behind (through 2026-03-06), so check the county for the current posting.
Today’s official resultSource: County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health
Water by Monthtypical
avg 2021–2024Warmest around August (72°), coolest around February (59°).
surf’s up (gently)
Tides are NOAA predictions (Carlsbad State Beach station 9410230); temps, wind, UV, waves and water temp are live from Open-Meteo; rip current risk from the NWS surf-zone forecast. Flag status is estimated from wave height and wind, so always trust the lifeguard’s actual flag over this app.
Beach with care. The National Weather Service has a Beach Hazards Statement out for Carlsbad State Beach until 6 PM. Dangerous surf and rip currents. Swim only near a lifeguard. The water at Carlsbad State Beach is 76°F (24°C) today, 13°F warmer than the usual 63°F for November. For swimming it is comfortable for swimming. Waves are 5–6 ft (very rough). The air is 71°F, with light 7 mph winds from the WNW. The UV index reaches 5 (moderate). The National Weather Service rip current risk is high.
The water holds steady around 76°F through Sun Nov 8.
The week ahead at Carlsbad State Beach, day by day: the sky, the high, the strongest wind and the biggest waves, the UV peak and the daytime chance of rain, and the water temperature. The calmest day for a swim looks like Sun Nov 8.
| Day | Sky | High | Wind | Waves | UV | Rain | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | Cloudy | 71°F | 8 mph | 5.1 ft | 5 | 0% | 76°F |
| Tue Nov 3 | Cloudy | 73°F | 12 mph | 4.1 ft | 5 | 0% | 76°F |
| Wed Nov 4 | Cloudy | 73°F | 8 mph | 4.4 ft | 5 | 0% | 76°F |
| Thu Nov 5 | Cloudy | 76°F | 8 mph | 4.1 ft | 5 | 0% | 75°F |
| Fri Nov 6 | Partly cloudy | 81°F | 9 mph | 3.2 ft | 5 | 0% | 75°F |
| Sat Nov 7 | Sunny | 85°F | 9 mph | 3 ft | 5 | 0% | 75°F |
| Sun Nov 8 | Sunny | 86°F | 7 mph | 2.6 ft | 5 | 1% | 75°F |
High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 9410230. Heights are in feet above the average low tide. The shell window is the last hour and a quarter of the ebb and the first three-quarters of the flood around the day’s lowest daylight low, when the most sand is bare; the lowest low of the week is marked.
| Day | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Shell window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | High 4:46 AM 4.2 | Low 9:49 AM 2.7 | High 3:23 PM 4.7 | Low 10:30 PM 0.1 | 8:34 AM–10:34 AM |
| Tue Nov 3 | High 5:22 AM 4.6 | Low 11:04 AM 2.0 | High 4:42 PM 4.6 | Low 11:17 PM 0.3 | 9:49 AM–11:49 AM |
| Wed Nov 4 | High 5:54 AM 5.1 | Low 12:00 PM 1.3 | High 5:47 PM 4.5 | Low 11:55 PM 0.6 | 10:45 AM–12:45 PM |
| Thu Nov 5 | High 6:23 AM 5.5 | Low 12:47 PM 0.6 | High 6:42 PM 4.4 | — | 11:32 AM–1:32 PM |
| Fri Nov 6 | Low 12:28 AM 0.9 | High 6:50 AM 5.8 | Low 1:28 PM 0.1 | High 7:31 PM 4.2 | 12:13 PM–2:13 PM |
| Sat Nov 7 | Low 12:57 AM 1.3 | High 7:16 AM 6.0 | Low 2:06 PM -0.2 | High 8:16 PM 4.1 | 12:51 PM–2:51 PM |
| Sun Nov 8 | Low 1:24 AM 1.6 | High 7:42 AM 6.1 | Low 2:42 PM -0.4 | High 8:59 PM 3.9 | 1:27 PM–3:27 PM · best |
The average sea temperature at Carlsbad State Beach for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in August (72°F) and coolest in February (59°F). It never averages 74°F, so most swimmers use a wetsuit.
| Month | Water °F | Water °C | For swimming |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 60°F | 15°C | Cold |
| February | 59°F | 15°C | Cold |
| March | 59°F | 15°C | Cold |
| April | 60°F | 16°C | Chilly |
| May | 64°F | 18°C | Chilly |
| June | 67°F | 19°C | Chilly |
| July | 71°F | 21°C | Cool |
| August | 72°F | 22°C | Cool |
| September | 71°F | 22°C | Cool |
| October | 67°F | 20°C | Chilly |
| November (now) | 63°F | 17°C | Chilly |
| December | 61°F | 16°C | Chilly |
Rip currents. Today’s National Weather Service rip current risk is high. If a current pulls you away from shore, don’t fight it: swim parallel to the beach until you are out of it, then swim back in. If you can’t, float and wave for help.
Sun. The UV index peaks at 5 today. Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.
Water quality. Carlsbad State Beach has been posted or closed for bacteria 38 times since 2022, about 7.6 a year, most often for bacterial standards violation. Official sampling results →
Dogs. Dogs are not allowed on this beach.
Weather alerts in effect: Beach Hazards Statement.
Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Carlsbad State Beach rules page covers dogs, alcohol, fires and more.
Under 1 ft is calm, good for small children and floating. 1–2 ft is small, fine for most swimmers. 2–4 ft is moderate: fun for bodyboarding, harder for weak swimmers. 4–6 ft is rough, and over 6 ft is dangerous for swimming. Today at Carlsbad State Beach it’s very rough.
Under 8 mph is light and pleasant. 8–15 mph is breezy, good for kites and cooler on a hot day. 15–25 mph blows sand and whips up the water. Over 25 mph most people pack up. Today at Carlsbad State Beach it’s light.
0–2 is low, 3–5 moderate, 6–7 high, 8–10 very high and 11 or more extreme. At 8 or more, fair skin can burn in under 20 minutes. The UV index is highest around midday even when it is cloudy.
Under 60°F is cold and most people want a wetsuit. 68–73°F is cool but swimmable. 74–79°F feels comfortable, and 80°F or more feels warm.
76°F (24°C), 13°F warmer than the usual 63°F for November.
At 76°F the water is comfortable for swimming. Waves are 5–6 ft, which is very rough. The rip current risk is high.
5–6 ft, which is very rough. The wind is 7 mph from the WNW.
High tide is at 4:46 AM and 3:23 PM, and low tide is at 9:49 AM and 10:30 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.
The UV index peaks at 5 (moderate). Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.
The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Carlsbad State Beach high today. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of it, then swim back in.
Highs run 71–86°F over the next 7 days. No day has a strong chance of rain. The calmest day for a swim looks like Sun Nov 8.
The water at Carlsbad State Beach averages about 63°F (17°C) in November.
August is the warmest month, averaging 72°F. February is the coolest, at 59°F.
The water never averages 74°F here. It is warmest in August, at 72°F, so bring a wetsuit most of the year.
The usual water temperature in November at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.
| Oceanside conditions | 3 mi | 63°F |
|---|---|---|
| Encinitas conditions | 9 mi | 63°F |
| Solana Beach conditions | 12 mi | 62°F |
| Del Mar conditions | 15 mi | 62°F |
| Torrey Pines State Beach conditions | 17 mi | 62°F |
| La Jolla conditions | 22 mi | 62°F |
More for Carlsbad State Beach: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →