San Clemente Beach Conditions Today
Live water temperature, tides, waves, and UV for San Clemente Beach, California
Updated 4:03 AM PDT
Current conditions
Best time to go today
Morning
6 AM – 11 AM
90/100
- 76°F, wind 4 mph
- Moderate UV (4)
Midday
11 AM – 3 PM
95/100
- 82°F, wind 6 mph
- ⚠ UV reaches 8 — high
Afternoon
3 PM – 7 PM
97/100
- 79°F, wind 8 mph
- Clear skies
- Golden hour before sunset
- ⚠ UV reaches 7 — high
Best for
Rip current risk
NWS SGX Surf Zone Forecast, issued 2026-08-28. Always follow lifeguard instructions and posted flags.
Today's tide schedule
| Tide | Time PDT | Height |
|---|---|---|
| ⬇️ Low | 3:55 AM | -0.1 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 10:01 AM | 4.8 ft |
| ⬇️ Low | 3:45 PM | 1.2 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 9:43 PM | 5.6 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station San Clemente · 1.2 km away.
Water quality
Where you swim changes the answer here — we score this beach 50 at its worst monitored point and 97 at its best.
Cleanest today
- State Beach Avenida CalafiaA+
- South Linda LaneA+
- T StreetA+
- North beach at Avenida PicoA+
4 more monitored points along this beach grade A or better.
Avoid today
- North beach Pico drainD
These are storm drains and piers, which are sampled precisely because they are the worst spots on a beach.
All 11 monitoring points
| Monitoring point | Distance | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| North beach Pico drain storm drain / pier | 1.2 km | D |
| El Portal | 0.7 km | B |
| Linda Lane Beach | 0.6 km | A+ |
| Mariposa Beach | 0.6 km | A+ |
| Riviera Beach | 2.3 km | A+ |
| Clock Tower North | 0.7 km | A+ |
| North beach at Avenida Pico | 1.1 km | A+ |
| T Street | 1.1 km | A+ |
| Pier drain storm drain / pier | 0.9 km | A+ |
| South Linda Lane | 0.6 km | A+ |
| State Beach Avenida Calafia | 2.7 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 San Clemente Beach
San Clemente 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 San Clemente about 1.2 km away on the open coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is today a good beach day at San Clemente Beach?
We score today 97 out of 100 — great. The best window is afternoon (3 PM – 7 PM).
How warm is the water at San Clemente Beach?
About 76°F. That is 4° above the August average of 72°F here.
Are there rip currents at San Clemente Beach today?
The National Weather Service rates the rip current risk at San Clemente Beach as moderate for today. Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone — swim near a lifeguard.
Where do the tide times on this page come from?
Tide predictions come from NOAA station San Clemente about 1.2 km away on the open coast.