Moonlight Beach Conditions Today
Live water temperature, tides, waves, and UV for Moonlight Beach, California
Updated 1:00 AM PDT
Current conditions
Best time to go today
Morning
6 AM – 11 AM
85/100
- 62°F, wind 4 mph
- Moderate UV (3)
- Clear skies
Midday
11 AM – 3 PM
92/100
- 70°F, wind 9 mph
- Clear skies
- ⚠ UV reaches 6 — high
Afternoon
3 PM – 7 PM
95/100
- 69°F, wind 9 mph
- Moderate UV (5)
- Clear skies
Best for
Today's tide schedule
| Tide | Time PDT | Height |
|---|---|---|
| ⬇️ Low | 4:13 AM | 2.1 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 10:33 AM | 5.7 ft |
| ⬇️ Low | 5:47 PM | 0.2 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station La Jolla (Scripps Institution Wharf) · 20.4 km away.
Water quality
Grades along this beach run from A to A+ — a spread, but not one that changes whether the water is safe to swim in.
Graded clean today
- San Elijo State Park north end of State Park stairsA+
- Swami's Beach (Seacliff Park)A+
- San Elijo State Park Pipes surf breakA+
- San Elijo State Park (proj. of Liverpool Dr.)A+
All 5 monitoring points
| Monitoring point | Distance | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moonlight Beach (Cottonwood Creek outlet) storm drain / pier | 0.4 km | A |
| San Elijo State Park (proj. of Liverpool Dr.) | 3.3 km | A+ |
| San Elijo State Park Pipes surf break | 2.7 km | A+ |
| Swami's Beach (Seacliff Park) | 1.5 km | A+ |
| San Elijo State Park north end of State Park stairs | 2.2 km | A+ |
Dry-weather bacterial grades from the Heal the Bay Beach Report Card, updated 2026-10-09. Grades reflect the most recent agency sampling and can change after rain.
About Moonlight Beach
Moonlight Beach sits on the California coast, where the water runs from about 59°F in January to 72°F in August.
The water averages above 70°F in July, August and September — 3 months of the year — peaking around 72°F in August and dropping to about 59°F in January.
Today it is 73°F. That is 6° above the October average of 67°F here.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station La Jolla (Scripps Institution Wharf) about 20.4 km away on the open coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is today a good beach day at Moonlight Beach?
We score today 95 out of 100 — great. The best window is afternoon (3 PM – 7 PM).
How warm is the water at Moonlight Beach?
About 73°F. That is 6° above the October average of 67°F here.
Where do the tide times on this page come from?
Tide predictions come from NOAA station La Jolla (Scripps Institution Wharf) about 20.4 km away on the open coast.