Santa Monica Beach Conditions Today
Live water temperature, tides, waves, and UV for Santa Monica Beach, California
Updated 6:00 AM PDT
Current conditions
Best time to go today
Morning now
6 AM – 11 AM
97/100
- 76°F, wind 4 mph
- Moderate UV (4)
- Clear skies
Midday
11 AM – 3 PM
96/100
- 82°F, wind 8 mph
- Clear skies
- ⚠ UV reaches 8 — high
Afternoon
3 PM – 7 PM
96/100
- 81°F, wind 11 mph
- Clear skies
- Golden hour before sunset
- ⚠ UV reaches 7 — high
Best for
Today's tide schedule
| Tide | Time PDT | Height |
|---|---|---|
| ⬇️ Low | 4:13 AM | -0.1 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 10:25 AM | 4.8 ft |
| ⬇️ Low | 3:59 PM | 1.5 ft |
| ⬆️ High | 10:02 PM | 5.8 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station Santa Monica, Municipal Pier · 0.1 km away.
Water quality
Where you swim changes the answer here — we score this beach 30 at its worst monitored point and 97 at its best.
Cleanest today
- Strand St. (in front of the restrooms)A+
- Montana 50 yards south of storm drainA
Avoid today
- Santa Monica Municipal PierF
These are storm drains and piers, which are sampled precisely because they are the worst spots on a beach.
All 7 monitoring points
| Monitoring point | Distance | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Municipal Pier storm drain / pier | 0.1 km | F |
| Wilshire Blvd. drain storm drain / pier | 0.9 km | C |
| Wilshire 50 yards south of storm drain | 0.8 km | B |
| Montana 50 yards south of storm drain | 1.6 km | A |
| Montana Ave. drain storm drain / pier | 1.7 km | A |
| Pico/Kenter storm drain storm drain / pier | 0.6 km | A |
| Strand St. (in front of the restrooms) | 1 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 Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica Beach sits on the California coast, where the water runs from about 58°F in January to 71°F in August.
The water averages above 70°F in August and September — 2 months of the year — peaking around 71°F in August and dropping to about 58°F in January.
Today it is 74°F. That is 3° above the August average of 71°F here.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Santa Monica, Municipal Pier about 0.1 km away on the open coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is today a good beach day at Santa Monica Beach?
We score today 97 out of 100 — great. The best window is morning (6 AM – 11 AM).
How warm is the water at Santa Monica Beach?
About 74°F. That is 3° above the August average of 71°F here.
Where do the tide times on this page come from?
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Santa Monica, Municipal Pier about 0.1 km away on the open coast.