Swimming at Del Mar Beach today
Del Mar, California
Updated 1:00 AM PDT
What decides a swimming score
Water quality
Every monitored point along this beach currently grades A+.
Graded clean today
- 15th StreetA+
All 2 monitoring points
| Monitoring point | Distance | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| San Dieguito River Beach storm drain / pier | 1.8 km | A+ |
| 15th Street | 0.3 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.
Before you swim
Surf is running 3.9 ft today, which makes shorebreak and currents stronger than usual.
Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower, and check the National Weather Service surf-zone forecast for the official rip-current outlook — we report conditions, we don't forecast rip currents.
Better nearby for swimming
Del Mar Beach is also scored for
About Del Mar Beach
Del Mar 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 72°F. That is 5° above the October average of 67°F here.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station La Jolla (Scripps Institution Wharf) about 10.3 km away on the open coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is Del Mar Beach good for swimming today?
Swimmable, with care — we score it 64 out of 100 today. The limiting factor is surf calmness at 3.9 ft.
What makes a good swimming day?
We weight water temperature (40%), surf calmness (25%), uv exposure (15%) and combine them into one score. Conditions we cannot read are left out rather than guessed.
When is the best time of year to swim at Del Mar Beach?
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.