World › United States of America › California › Cardiff reef
Cardiff reef 88.2
#997 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇺🇸 United States of America · California · near Oceanside
Works almost every day, no off season, gentle enough to learn.
Works all yearBeginner friendlyBeginner
Surf score88.2 /100
Surfable days95% of the year
Clean days53% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell55% period 11 s+
Typical size0.9 m 2.9 ft median
Water18°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Cardiff reef
The best time to surf Cardiff reef is April, May, September. The season runs Jan to Jan. In April the water sits around 18°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 1.0 m. The nearest airport is SAN (32 km) and the nearest town is Oceanside (20 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90% | 43% | 0.9 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Feb | 88% | 26% | 0.8 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 95% | 51% | 1.0 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 99% | 70% | 1.0 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| May | 100% | 68% | 1.0 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 100% | 63% | 0.9 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Jul | 99% | 63% | 0.9 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Aug | 100% | 59% | 0.8 m | 22°C | 2mm |
| Sep | 100% | 68% | 0.9 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Oct | 96% | 55% | 0.8 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Nov | 85% | 30% | 0.8 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 88% | 34% | 0.9 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
Why 88.2
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
24.0
Groundswell 12%
11.0
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
1.6
Water comfort 10%
3.7
Access 10%
9.6
The detail
Faces 245° with 42% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 95% of days. Mean peak period 13.3 s. Days over 3 m: 0%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 86%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 33.015, -117.283 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Tippers🇺🇸 United States of America · score 88.2Suckouts🇺🇸 United States of America · score 88.3Turtles🇺🇸 United States of America · score 88.3Pipes - San elijo state beach🇺🇸 United States of America · score 88.3
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