Moonlight Beach Conditions Today
Live water temperature, tides, waves, and UV for Moonlight Beach, California
Updated 4:03 AM PDT
Current conditions
Best time to go today
Morning
6 AM – 11 AM
89/100
- 77°F, wind 6 mph
- Moderate UV (4)
Midday
11 AM – 3 PM
93/100
- 83°F, wind 9 mph
- ⚠ UV reaches 8 — high
Afternoon
3 PM – 7 PM
95/100
- 80°F, wind 8 mph
- Clear skies
- Golden hour before sunset
- ⚠ UV reaches 7 — high
Best for
Today's tide schedule
| Tide | Time PDT | Height |
|---|---|---|
| ⬇️ Low | 4:02 AM | -0.1 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 10:15 AM | 4.8 ft |
| ⬇️ Low | 3:49 PM | 1.4 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 9:53 PM | 5.7 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 2026-08-21. 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 76°F. That is 4° above the August average of 72°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 76°F. That is 4° above the August average of 72°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.