Partly cloudy, high near 72°. No real rain risk. All-day beach window.
forecastRain OutlookOpen-Meteo
tap an hourTop rain chance is just 1% — 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.
Wind
7 mph
from the SW
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
todayCurrents strong enough to pull swimmers offshore. Stay near a lifeguard tower.
Caught in one? Don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you’re free, then angle back in.
Beach Flag
Yellow Flag
stay close to shore
estimated · trust the lifeguard
Water Quality
bacteria testingSanta Monica has been posted or closed for bacteria 225 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: Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Water by Monthtypical
avg 2021–2024Warmest around August (71°), coolest around February (58°).
surf’s up (gently)
Tides are NOAA predictions (Santa Monica station 9410840); 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 Coastal Flood Advisory out for Santa Monica until 1 PM Thursday. Minor flooding near high tide on the beach and low roads. The water at Santa Monica is 72°F (22°C) today, 6°F warmer than the usual 66°F for October. For swimming it is cool but swimmable. Waves are 2–3 ft (moderate). The air is 66°F, with light 5 mph winds from the ENE. The UV index reaches 5 (moderate). The National Weather Service rip current risk is high.
The water holds steady around 72°F through Tue Nov 3.
The week ahead at Santa Monica, 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 Thu Oct 29.
| Day | Sky | High | Wind | Waves | UV | Rain | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | Cloudy | 72°F | 9 mph | 2.5 ft | 5 | 1% | 72°F |
| Thu Oct 29 | Cloudy | 70°F | 10 mph | 2.2 ft | 4 | 1% | 72°F |
| Fri Oct 30 | Rain | 70°F | 8 mph | 2.7 ft | 3 | 15% | 72°F |
| Sat Oct 31 | Drizzle | 71°F | 8 mph | 2.7 ft | 3 | 65% | 72°F |
| Sun Nov 1 | Drizzle | 69°F | 6 mph | 5.1 ft | 2 | 56% | 72°F |
| Mon Nov 2 | Cloudy | 79°F | 9 mph | 4.8 ft | 5 | 1% | 72°F |
| Tue Nov 3 | Sunny | 80°F | 7 mph | 2.6 ft | 5 | 4% | 72°F |
High and low tides for the next 7 days, from NOAA’s predictions for tide station 9410840. 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 | Low 4:10 AM 2.1 | High 10:34 AM 6.7 | Low 6:02 PM -0.8 | — | 4:47 PM–6:47 PM · best |
| Thu Oct 29 | High 12:39 AM 3.6 | Low 4:47 AM 2.5 | High 11:20 AM 6.4 | Low 7:02 PM -0.6 | — |
| Fri Oct 30 | High 2:02 AM 3.4 | Low 5:35 AM 2.8 | High 12:15 PM 6.0 | Low 8:12 PM -0.3 | — |
| Sat Oct 31 | High 3:44 AM 3.5 | Low 6:51 AM 3.2 | High 1:26 PM 5.5 | Low 9:31 PM -0.1 | 5:36 AM–7:36 AM |
| Sun Nov 1 | High 4:03 AM 3.8 | Low 8:00 AM 3.2 | High 1:57 PM 5.0 | Low 9:43 PM 0.0 | 6:45 AM–8:45 AM |
| Mon Nov 2 | High 4:51 AM 4.3 | Low 10:00 AM 2.8 | High 3:31 PM 4.8 | Low 10:40 PM 0.1 | 8:45 AM–10:45 AM |
| Tue Nov 3 | High 5:29 AM 4.7 | Low 11:14 AM 2.1 | High 4:49 PM 4.7 | Low 11:25 PM 0.3 | 9:59 AM–11:59 AM |
The average sea temperature at Santa Monica 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.
| Month | Water °F | Water °C | For swimming |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59°F | 15°C | Cold |
| February | 58°F | 14°C | Cold |
| March | 58°F | 15°C | Cold |
| April | 59°F | 15°C | Cold |
| May | 62°F | 17°C | Chilly |
| June | 65°F | 18°C | Chilly |
| July | 68°F | 20°C | Cool |
| August | 71°F | 21°C | Cool |
| September | 70°F | 21°C | Cool |
| October (now) | 66°F | 19°C | Chilly |
| November | 62°F | 17°C | Chilly |
| December | 60°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. Santa Monica has been posted or closed for bacteria 225 times since 2022, about 45 a year, most often for bacterial standards violation. Official sampling results →
Weather alerts in effect: Coastal Flood Advisory.
Swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty, and follow the beach flags and posted signs. The Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica it’s moderate.
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 Santa Monica 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.
72°F (22°C), 6°F warmer than the usual 66°F for October.
At 72°F the water is cool but swimmable. Waves are 2–3 ft, which is moderate. The rip current risk is high.
2–3 ft, which is moderate. The wind is 5 mph from the ENE.
High tide is at 10:34 AM, and low tide is at 4:10 AM and 6:02 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 Santa Monica 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 69–80°F over the next 7 days. Rain is likely on Sat Oct 31 and Sun Nov 1. The calmest day for a swim looks like Thu Oct 29.
The water at Santa Monica averages about 66°F (19°C) in October.
August is the warmest month, averaging 71°F. February is the coolest, at 58°F.
The water never averages 74°F here. It is warmest in August, at 71°F, so bring a wetsuit most of the year.
The usual water temperature in October at the nearest beaches. Tap one for its live conditions.
| Venice Beach conditions | 2 mi | 66°F |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan Beach conditions | 10 mi | 66°F |
| Hermosa Beach conditions | 12 mi | 66°F |
| Redondo Beach conditions | 13 mi | 66°F |
| Zuma Beach conditions | 19 mi | 66°F |
| El Matador State Beach conditions | 22 mi | 66°F |
More for Santa Monica: parking · sunset time tonight · things to do · US water temperatures today →