Beach Guide

Crystal Cove State Park Conditions Today

Crystal Cove State Park right now: wind 9 mph from the W. Next high tide at 3:31 PM.

live · NOAA + Open-Meteo

green

1–2 ft

surf

Partly cloudy, high near 74°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window.

forecast

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

or watch the whole day fly by

74°

Air

73°

Feels

84°

Water

6 mph

Wind

5

UV

0%

Rain

Hour by Hour

tap an hour

Rain OutlookOpen-Meteo

tap an hour
6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Top rain chance is just 0% — pack the sunscreen, not the umbrella.

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.

HIGHLOWrisingfalling
12A6A12P6P12A
High 7:54 AM
Low 12:24 PM
High 8:18 PM
drag the chart to scrub

Wind

NESW

6 mph

from the NW

UV Index

5

Moderate

easy sunscreen day

Time to Burn

UV 5 · incl. sand glare
29min

for 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

today
ESCAPE: SWIM PARALLEL
Low
Moderate
High

Calm pattern today. Currents can still surprise — keep kids within reach.

Caught in one? Don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you’re free, then angle back in.

Beach Flag

Green Flag

calm, swim easy

estimated · trust the lifeguard

Water Quality

bacteria testing

Crystal Cove has been posted or closed for bacteria 39 times since 2022.

7
2022
12
2023
11
2024
7
2025
2
2026

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 result

Source: Orange County Environmental Health Division

Water by Monthtypical

avg 2021–2024
59
J
58
F
58
M
59
A
63
M
66
J
70
J
71
A
70
S
67
O
63
N
61
D

Warmest around August (71°), coolest around February (58°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Crystal Cove State Park station 9410580); 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.

Crystal Cove State Park beach conditions today

The air is 74°F, feeling like 71°F, with breezy 9 mph winds from the W. The UV index reaches 5 (moderate). The National Weather Service rip current risk is high.

Crystal Cove State Park 7-day forecast

The week ahead at Crystal Cove State Park, day by day: the sky, the high, the strongest wind and the biggest waves, the UV peak and the daytime chance of rain. The calmest day for a swim looks like Sun Nov 8.

DaySkyHighWindWavesUVRain
TodayCloudy74°F10 mph—50%
Tue Nov 3Cloudy73°F15 mph—50%
Wed Nov 4Partly cloudy75°F10 mph—52%
Thu Nov 5Cloudy77°F8 mph—50%
Fri Nov 6Cloudy84°F9 mph—50%
Sat Nov 7Sunny87°F9 mph—50%
Sun Nov 8Sunny85°F6 mph—50%

Tide times at Crystal Cove State Park

High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 9410580. 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.

Highs and lows, this weekNOAA
DayTide 1Tide 2Tide 3Tide 4Shell window
TodayHigh 4:50 AM 4.2Low 10:00 AM 2.7High 3:31 PM 4.7Low 10:37 PM 0.18:45 AM–10:45 AM
Tue Nov 3High 5:27 AM 4.7Low 11:13 AM 2.0High 4:49 PM 4.7Low 11:23 PM 0.39:58 AM–11:58 AM
Wed Nov 4High 5:58 AM 5.2Low 12:07 PM 1.2High 5:53 PM 4.6—10:52 AM–12:52 PM
Thu Nov 5Low 12:02 AM 0.6High 6:27 AM 5.6Low 12:53 PM 0.6High 6:47 PM 4.511:38 AM–1:38 PM
Fri Nov 6Low 12:34 AM 0.9High 6:55 AM 5.9Low 1:34 PM 0.1High 7:36 PM 4.312:19 PM–2:19 PM
Sat Nov 7Low 1:03 AM 1.3High 7:21 AM 6.1Low 2:12 PM -0.3High 8:21 PM 4.112:57 PM–2:57 PM
Sun Nov 8Low 1:30 AM 1.6High 7:46 AM 6.1Low 2:47 PM -0.4High 9:04 PM 3.91:32 PM–3:32 PM · best

Crystal Cove State Park water temperature by month

The average sea temperature at Crystal Cove State Park for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in August (71°F) and coolest in February (58°F). It never averages 74°F, so most swimmers use a wetsuit.

MonthWater °FWater °CFor swimming
January59°F15°CCold
February58°F15°CCold
March58°F15°CCold
April59°F15°CCold
May63°F17°CChilly
June66°F19°CChilly
July70°F21°CCool
August71°F22°CCool
September70°F21°CCool
October67°F20°CChilly
November (now)63°F17°CChilly
December61°F16°CChilly

Staying safe at Crystal Cove State Park

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. Crystal Cove State Park has been posted or closed for bacteria 39 times since 2022, about 7.8 a year. Official sampling results →

Dogs. Dogs are not allowed on this beach.

Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Crystal Cove State Park rules page covers dogs, alcohol, fires and more.

How to read beach conditions

Waves

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.

Wind

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 Crystal Cove State Park it’s breezy.

UV index

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.

Water temperature

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.

Crystal Cove State Park conditions FAQ

What time is high tide at Crystal Cove State Park today?

High tide is at 4:50 AM and 3:31 PM, and low tide is at 10:00 AM and 10:37 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.

What is the UV index at Crystal Cove State Park today?

The UV index peaks at 5 (moderate). Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

Is there a rip current risk at Crystal Cove State Park today?

The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at Crystal Cove State Park high today. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of it, then swim back in.

What is the beach weather at Crystal Cove State Park this week?

Highs run 73–87°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.

What is the water temperature at Crystal Cove State Park in November?

The water at Crystal Cove State Park averages about 63°F (17°C) in November.

When is the water warmest at Crystal Cove State Park?

August is the warmest month, averaging 71°F. February is the coolest, at 58°F.

What is the best time of year to swim at Crystal Cove State Park?

The water never averages 74°F here. It is warmest in August, at 71°F, so bring a wetsuit most of the year.

Conditions at beaches near Crystal Cove State Park

The usual water temperature in November at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.

Laguna Beach conditions4 mi63°F
Newport Beach conditions6 mi63°F
Huntington Beach conditions11 mi63°F
Doheny State Beach conditions12 mi63°F
San Clemente conditions16 mi63°F
Seal Beach conditions19 mi62°F

More for Crystal Cove State Park: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →