Beach Guide

Morro Bay State Beach Conditions Today

Rough water today. Morro Bay State Beach right now: water 68°F, surf 6–7 ft, wind 7 mph from the WSW. Next high tide at 4:00 PM.

live · NOAA + Open-Meteo

red

6–7 ft

surf

Rough water today

forecast

No weather alert for Morro Bay State Beach, but the forecast has waves to 6 ft. Fine for a walk, not for a swim.

Rough water today. Overcast, high near 70°. No real rain risk. Driest stretch: all day, but dry isn't calm. Keep out of rough water.

forecast

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

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70°

Air

68°

Feels

68°

Water

5 mph

Wind

3

UV

0%

Rain

Hour by Hour

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Rain OutlookOpen-Meteo

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6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Top 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.

HIGHLOWrisingfalling
12A6A12P6P12A
High 7:54 AM
Low 12:24 PM
High 8:18 PM
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Wind

NESW

5 mph

from the ESE

UV Index

3

Moderate

easy sunscreen day

Time to Burn

UV 3 · incl. sand glare
48min

for unprotected fair skin (burns easily, tans a little). SPF 30 if you are out for more than an hour.

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

Dangerous 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 testing

Morro Bay has been posted or closed for bacteria 23 times since 2022, most often for bacterial standards violation.

4
2022
10
2023
7
2024
2
2025

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: San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department Environmental Health

Water by Monthtypical

avg 2021–2024
58
J
57
F
56
M
54
A
55
M
57
J
59
J
60
A
60
S
61
O
58
N
58
D

Warmest around October (61°), coolest around April (54°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Morro Bay State Beach station 9412110); 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.

Morro Bay State Beach conditions today

Rough water today. No weather alert for Morro Bay State Beach, but the forecast has waves to 6 ft. Fine for a walk, not for a swim. The water at Morro Bay State Beach is 68°F (20°C) today, 10°F warmer than the usual 58°F for November. For swimming it is cool but swimmable. Waves are 6–7 ft (very rough). The air is 70°F, feeling like 67°F, with light 7 mph winds from the WSW. The UV index reaches 4 (moderate).

The water holds steady around 68°F through Sun Nov 8.

Morro Bay State Beach 7-day forecast

The week ahead at Morro Bay 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 Mon Nov 2.

DaySkyHighWindWavesUVRainWater
TodayCloudy70°F8 mph6.3 ft40%68°F
Tue Nov 3Drizzle65°F8 mph6.4 ft55%68°F
Wed Nov 4Cloudy70°F10 mph7.3 ft50%68°F
Thu Nov 5Cloudy73°F15 mph6.4 ft50%68°F
Fri Nov 6Sunny78°F10 mph7.7 ft50%68°F
Sat Nov 7Sunny76°F7 mph8.3 ft40%68°F
Sun Nov 8Sunny79°F7 mph7.4 ft40%68°F

Tide times at Morro Bay State Beach

High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 9412110. 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 5:24 AM 4.4Low 10:35 AM 2.8High 4:00 PM 4.8Low 11:08 PM 0.19:20 AM–11:20 AM
Tue Nov 3High 6:02 AM 4.8Low 11:48 AM 2.2High 5:19 PM 4.6Low 11:56 PM 0.410:33 AM–12:33 PM
Wed Nov 4High 6:36 AM 5.2Low 12:47 PM 1.5High 6:29 PM 4.4—11:32 AM–1:32 PM
Thu Nov 5Low 12:37 AM 0.8High 7:07 AM 5.5Low 1:36 PM 0.8High 7:30 PM 4.312:21 PM–2:21 PM
Fri Nov 6Low 1:13 AM 1.2High 7:35 AM 5.8Low 2:20 PM 0.3High 8:25 PM 4.21:05 PM–3:05 PM
Sat Nov 7Low 1:45 AM 1.7High 8:02 AM 6.0Low 3:00 PM -0.1High 9:15 PM 4.11:45 PM–3:45 PM
Sun Nov 8Low 2:14 AM 2.1High 8:28 AM 6.1Low 3:39 PM -0.3High 10:04 PM 4.02:24 PM–4:24 PM · best

Morro Bay State Beach water temperature by month

The average sea temperature at Morro Bay State Beach for each month (2021–2024). The water is warmest in October (61°F) and coolest in April (54°F). It never averages 74°F, so most swimmers use a wetsuit.

MonthWater °FWater °CFor swimming
January58°F14°CCold
February57°F14°CCold
March56°F13°CCold
April54°F12°CCold
May55°F13°CCold
June57°F14°CCold
July59°F15°CCold
August60°F16°CChilly
September60°F16°CChilly
October61°F16°CChilly
November (now)58°F14°CCold
December58°F15°CCold

Staying safe at Morro Bay State Beach

Rip currents. 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 4 today. Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

Water quality. Morro Bay State Beach has been posted or closed for bacteria 23 times since 2022, about 5.8 a year, most often for bacterial standards violation. Official sampling results →

Dogs. Dogs are allowed right now, on a leash.

Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Morro Bay State Beach 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. Today at Morro Bay State Beach it’s very rough.

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 Morro Bay State Beach it’s light.

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.

Morro Bay State Beach conditions FAQ

What is the water temperature at Morro Bay State Beach today?

68°F (20°C), 10°F warmer than the usual 58°F for November.

Is the water warm enough to swim at Morro Bay State Beach today?

At 68°F the water is cool but swimmable. Waves are 6–7 ft, which is very rough.

How big are the waves at Morro Bay State Beach today?

6–7 ft, which is very rough. The wind is 7 mph from the WSW.

What time is high tide at Morro Bay State Beach today?

High tide is at 5:24 AM and 4:00 PM, and low tide is at 10:35 AM and 11:08 PM. Times are NOAA predictions.

What is the UV index at Morro Bay State Beach today?

The UV index peaks at 4 (moderate). Wear SPF 30 and reapply every two hours and after swimming.

What is the beach weather at Morro Bay State Beach this week?

Highs run 65–79°F over the next 7 days. No day has a strong chance of rain. The calmest day for a swim looks like Mon Nov 2.

What is the water temperature at Morro Bay State Beach in November?

The water at Morro Bay State Beach averages about 58°F (14°C) in November.

When is the water warmest at Morro Bay State Beach?

October is the warmest month, averaging 61°F. April is the coolest, at 54°F.

What is the best time of year to swim at Morro Bay State Beach?

The water never averages 74°F here. It is warmest in October, at 61°F, so bring a wetsuit most of the year.

Conditions at beaches near Morro Bay State Beach

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

Cayucos Beach conditions6 mi58°F
Avila Beach conditions14 mi57°F
Pismo Beach conditions19 mi57°F
Pfeiffer Beach conditions81 mi57°F
Santa Barbara East Beach conditions95 mi61°F
Carmel Beach conditions102 mi56°F

More for Morro Bay State Beach: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →