Sand Dollar Beach today
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Tide now 3.5 ft ↓ falling · low 5:48 am (2.7 ft)
- Best time to fish 11:20 am–12:30 pm average day · 6/10
- Waves · water 5.5 ft · 68 °F moderate · 10.1 s from the west-northwest
- Wind · air 7 mph · 61 °F from the E, gusts 8 · overcast
- Surf today 2.3–3.6 ft Fair day · 5/10 · 3:00–5:00 pm
- Sun 7:26 am–6:13 pm 10 h 47 min of daylight
- Moon 83% · 9:09 pm waning gibbous · rises at 9:09 pm
- Coastal Flood Advisory: minor flooding along the shore at high tide. Until Sat 31, 6:00 pm. NWS San Francisco CA
Today in Sand Dollar Beach there are high tides at 2:02 am (3.5 ft) and 12:17 pm (6.1 ft) and low tides at 5:48 am and 8:06 pm. Tide coefficient 76. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 5:48 am. The sun rises at 7:26 am and sets at 6:13 pm: 10 h 47 min of daylight. The moon is 83% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 9:09 pm. Major solunar periods run from 2:53 am to 4:53 am and from 3:25 pm to 5:25 pm. The next spring tides arrive from November 9 to 11. The sea is moderate, with 5.5 ft waves. There's a light breeze from the east (7 mph). Overcast, 61 °F.
Beach day in Sand Dollar Beach
Is it a beach day?
- Mostly sunny
- Onshore breeze (8 mph)
- UV 4 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen
- Water at 68 °F (cool)
- Feels like 66 °F: a bit cool
- Dangerous for swimming: 5.3 ft waves every 10 s; high rip current risk
Dangerous surf during beach hours. Stay out if the red flag is up, and never swim where there is no lifeguard.
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Dangerous · 5.3 ft
5.3 ft waves every 10 s: dangerous for swimming. Stay out if the red flag is up. High rip current risk. If you're caught in a rip current, don't swim against it: swim parallel to shore and wave for help. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 68 °F
Cool: refreshing on a hot day.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 4 · SPF 30
Max UV 4 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 8 mph
Onshore breeze (8 mph).
- Tide & sand 5:48 am
Low tide at 5:48 am and 8:06 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 2:02 am and 12:17 pm.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
About Sand Dollar BeachThe beach
In Plaskett, 0.5 mi from the center. Tides, weather and sun in Plaskett →
- Restrooms
- Parking
Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. See on OpenStreetMap · Fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches near Sand Dollar Beach
We don't know of any named beaches within 6.2 mi of Sand Dollar Beach.
Missing one? Beaches come from OpenStreetMap: you can add it there. Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Sand Dollar Beach
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Fishing in Sand Dollar Beach today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- High tide at 12:17 pm, coefficient 73
- Minor period 11:12 am–12:12 pm (moonset)
- Falling pressure (−0.09 inHg in 24 h), light onshore wind (8 mph) and 5.1 ft waves
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 76 (average tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 11:20 am to 12:30 pm, combines the 12:17 pm high tide, moonset, falling pressure and a light onshore breeze. Also good from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm, with a major period, sunset and a light onshore breeze.
Species with the most records nearby: black rockfish, lingcod, kelp bass and barred sand bass. October is one of the months when these are seen most: black rockfish and kelp bass. What you can catch
Tides in Sand Dollar Beach
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 2:02 am 3.5 ft · coef. 76
- ▼ Next low tide 5:48 am 2.7 ft
- ▲ High tide 12:17 pm 6.1 ft · coef. 73
- ▼ Low tide 8:06 pm -0.8 ft
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 3 h 26 min to low tide at 5:48 am.
Tide coefficient 76 for the 2:02 am high tide and 73 for the 12:17 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 6.8 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on December 24 (6.9 ft) and the lowest, on June 15 (-1.9 ft).
Mixed: two high and two low tides a day, but of quite different heights.
Heights above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero of US nautical charts. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. MLLW
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 8 to 10 (coefficient 95, 5.5 ft range). The smallest, on October 17 (coefficient 33, 3.9 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 7:26 am · 6:13 pm | High tide 2:02 am · 3.5 ft | Low tide 5:48 am · 2.7 ft | High tide 12:17 pm · 6.1 ft | Low tide 8:06 pm · -0.8 ft | Coef. 76 | 83% | Major periods 2:53 am · 3:25 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 7:27 am · 6:12 pm | High tide 3:14 am · 3.4 ft | Low tide 6:36 am · 2.9 ft | High tide 1:13 pm · 5.8 ft | Low tide 9:09 pm · -0.6 ft | Coef. 67 | 73% | Major periods 3:57 am · 4:29 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 7:28 am · 6:11 pm | High tide 4:30 am · 3.5 ft | Low tide 7:57 am · 3.1 ft | High tide 2:19 pm · 5.4 ft | Low tide 10:16 pm · -0.3 ft | Coef. 59 | 62% | Major periods 4:59 am · 5:28 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:28 am · 5:10 pm | High tide 4:40 am · 3.8 ft | Low tide 8:49 am · 3.1 ft | High tide 2:36 pm · 4.9 ft | Low tide 10:22 pm · -0.1 ft | Coef. 57 | Last quarter | Major periods 4:56 am · 5:23 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:29 am · 5:09 pm | High tide 5:30 am · 4.1 ft | Low tide 10:40 am · 2.7 ft | High tide 4:09 pm · 4.6 ft | Low tide 11:18 pm · 0.1 ft | Coef. 63 | 39% | Major periods 5:49 am · 6:13 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:30 am · 5:08 pm | High tide 6:08 am · 4.5 ft | Low tide 11:55 am · 2.0 ft | High tide 5:33 pm · 4.4 ft | — | Coef. 71 | 29% | Major periods 6:37 am · 7:00 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 6:31 am · 5:07 pm | Low tide 12:05 am · 0.4 ft | High tide 6:43 am · 4.9 ft | Low tide 12:55 pm · 1.3 ft | High tide 6:43 pm · 4.2 ft | Coef. 79 | 20% | Major periods 7:22 am · 7:45 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above MLLW. Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Mansfield Cone station (NOAA), 1.9 mi from Sand Dollar Beach. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database)
The sea at Sand Dollar Beach
Sea stateSea state: moderate
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common2.8 ft
- Significant5.5 ft
- Highest expectedHighest11 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 11 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 11 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Offshore wind. The coast faces west and the wind blows from land out to sea: calm shore and clean waves, but watch the drift out to sea.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Sunday 1: 7.3 ft with a period of 8 s, from the west-northwest (moderate).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+8.8 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 2:22 am (local time).
Nearest buoy
This is a real measurement of the sea, not a forecast. Data from station 46028, NOAA National Data Buoy Center (public domain).
Surf in Sand Dollar Beach today
Surf today
Fair- 2.3–3.6 ft surf at the shore, a fun size for most surfers
- 3.7 ft swell at 6 s from the west-northwest, short: weak, messy waves
- Almost no wind (4 mph): glassy water
- Falling tide (low tide at 8:06 pm)
- Light: First light 6:59 am · sunrise 7:26 am · sunset 6:13 pm · last light 6:39 pm
- Tide: high 2:02 am (3.5 ft), low 5:48 am (2.7 ft), high 12:17 pm (6.1 ft) and low 8:06 pm (-0.8 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 67.8 °F: a springsuit or a 2 mm fullsuit.
- Energy: 95 kJ · Low power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, has a good size and glassy water, though with a short-period swell. 7:00 am to 9:00 am can also work, with a good size and light offshore wind, though with a short-period swell.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in Sand Dollar Beach today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: fair- Slack water around high tide (12:17 pm): little current from 11:50 am to 12:40 pm
- 3.8 ft swell at 6 s from the west-northwest: some surge on the bottom
- Light onshore wind (8 mph)
- 1.4 mph current toward the north-northwest, strong (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: high tide 2:02 am (1:20–2:50 am), low tide 5:48 am (4:50–6:30 am), high tide 12:17 pm (11:50 am–12:40 pm) and low tide 8:06 pm (7:40–8:30 pm)
- Likely visibility: fair. Swell (up to 4.9 ft at 6 s) over the last few days has stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 67.8 °F: a 5 mm wetsuit.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 6:39 pm. Waning gibbous (83%), rising at 9:09 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 11:10 am to 1:20 pm, combines slack water at high tide, light wind and the sun high, though with some swell and current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
We have no dive sites, dive shops or wrecks on record within 12 mi of Sand Dollar Beach.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in Sand Dollar Beach
Now in Sand Dollar Beach
- Low / high
- 60 / 67 °F
- Rain
- 0.00 in · 1%
- Clouds
- 99%
- Humidity
- 56%
- Dew pointDew point
- 45 °F
- Visibility
- 21 mi
- UV indexUV
- 0 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Good · 36
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (−0.02 inHg in 3 hours). It barely changes over the next 48 hours. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Mainly clear | Clear sky | Partly cloudy | Overcast | Overcast |
| Temperature | 60° | 61° | 60° | 63° | 65° | 66° | 63° | 60° |
| Wind (mph) | 9 ESE | 5 E | 5 ESE | 6 SSE | 8 S | 4 S | 4 NW | 1 NW |
| Gusts | 12 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Waves | 5.6 ft | 5.5 ft | 5.4 ft | 5.2 ft | 5.1 ft | 5.1 ft | 5.0 ft | 5.1 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 3:00 am 61° 5 E 5.5 ft
- 6:00 am 60° 5 ESE 5.4 ft
- 9:00 am 63° 6 SSE 5.2 ft
- 12:00 pm 65° 8 S 5.1 ft
- 3:00 pm 66° 4 S 5.1 ft
- 6:00 pm 63° 4 NW 5.0 ft
- 9:00 pm 60° 1 NW 5.1 ft
- 12:00 am 62° 2 NW 5.1 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 60 / 67 °F | 9 mph SSE | 5.6 ft | 2:02 am · 12:17 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 56 / 62 °F | 4 mph NW | 5.1 ft | 3:14 am · 1:13 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 55 / 57 °F | 3 mph WNW | 4.5 ft | 4:30 am · 2:19 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 54 / 59 °F | 8 mph NNW | 7.3 ft | 4:40 am · 2:36 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 53 / 63 °F | 3 mph N | 6.8 ft | 5:30 am · 4:09 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 58 / 65 °F | 3 mph NNW | 6.9 ft | 6:08 am · 5:33 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 57 / 62 °F | 4 mph NW | 6.2 ft | 6:43 am · 6:43 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 58 / 62 °F | 5 mph NW | 5.1 ft | 7:16 am · 7:47 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 57 / 61 °F | 6 mph NW | 13 ft | 7:48 am · 8:44 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 57 / 62 °F | 4 mph NNW | 12 ft | 8:19 am · 9:35 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 58 / 63 °F | 4 mph NNW | 9.9 ft | 8:48 am · 10:24 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 62 / 71 °F | 6 mph WNW | 10 ft | 9:16 am · 11:13 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 62 / 66 °F | 7 mph SSW | 9.3 ft | 9:43 am | |
| Wed 11 | 62 / 65 °F | 8 mph S | 12 ft | 12:08 am · 10:11 am |
- Fri 30 Light drizzle 56° / 62° 5.1 ft
- Sat 31 Light drizzle 55° / 57° 4.5 ft
- Sun 1 Light drizzle 54° / 59° 7.3 ft
- Mon 2 Overcast 53° / 63° 6.8 ft
- Tue 3 Partly cloudy 58° / 65° 6.9 ft
- Wed 4 Light drizzle 57° / 62° 6.2 ft
- Thu 5 Drizzle 58° / 62° 5.1 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- Normal Today, normal highs for late October (66 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 2:22 am (local time).
The sun in Sand Dollar Beach
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 6:29 am
- Full dark 7:10 pm
- Civil dawn 6:59 am
- Civil dusk 6:39 pm
- Solar noon 12:50 pm (40° high)
- Daylight 10 h 47 min (−2 min)
- Evening golden hour 5:37 pm
- Full dark 7:10 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,327,412 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Sand Dollar Beach
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,837 mi away and looks 32′ 43″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 2:53–4:53 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 3:25–5:25 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 11:12 am–12:12 pm Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 8:39–9:39 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 12:29 pmNov 1 in 3 days
- New moon Sun, Nov 8 · 11:03 pmNov 8 in 10 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 3:48 amNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 6:54 amNov 24 in 26 days
Next perigee (the moon at its closest to Earth): November 25, 223,281 mi away.
Where to fish in Sand Dollar Beach
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
We have no piers, boat ramps or tackle shops on record within 9.3 mi of Sand Dollar Beach.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Gentle slopeThe bottom slopes gently: 16 ft deep 0.4 mi from shore and 33 ft at 0.5 mi. It reaches 164 ft at 1.6 mi.
From the shoreline out to sea, heading southwest.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep0.4 mi
- 33 ft deep0.5 mi
- 66 ft deep0.6 mi
- 164 ft deep1.6 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. About 6.6 ft of water 330 ft out: long casts help, and so does a rising tide, which brings fish closer in.
- Swimming. The water gets deeper little by little, but a few dozen yards out you can no longer stand.
- Diving. Shore diving works here: 33 ft at 0.5 mi and 66 ft at 0.6 mi from shore.
Source: NOAA Southern California Coastal Relief Model (public domain), cells of about 100 ft; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near Sand Dollar BeachTides nearby
- Plaskett0.5 mi
- Gorda0.6 mi
- Lucia8.1 mi
- Slates Hot Springs17 mi
- San Simeon25 mi
- Posts27 mi
- Leimert32 mi
- Happy Hill32 mi
- Cambria Pines32 mi
- Lodge Hill34 mi
Sand Dollar Beach at a glance
- Beach. Coordinates: 35.924° N, 121.469° W.
- It is 331 mi northwest of San Diego, the main place in California. The sun rises 22 min later and sets 13 min later than in San Diego.
- In Plaskett, 0.5 mi from the center.
- The nearest tide station, Mansfield Cone, is 1.9 mi to the northwest.
- Its coast faces west.
Questions about Sand Dollar BeachQuestions
Where is Sand Dollar Beach?
In Plaskett, 0.5 mi from the center, California (United States). The shore faces west.
What amenities does Sand Dollar Beach have?
According to OpenStreetMap: restrooms and parking. Some may be missing or out of date, so ask at the beach.
How clean is the water at Sand Dollar Beach?
There's no open yearly bathing water rating in the US. Each state and territory monitors its beaches and posts an advisory when swimming isn't safe: check the official beach advisories for California (California State Water Resources Control Board).
What time is high tide today in Sand Dollar Beach?
Today in Sand Dollar Beach there are high tides at 2:02 am (3.5 ft) and 12:17 pm (6.1 ft) and low tides at 5:48 am and 8:06 pm. Tide coefficient 76.
What time is sunset today in Sand Dollar Beach?
At 6:13 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 6:39 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Sand Dollar Beach?
At 7:27 am. First light comes at 6:30 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 83% illuminated. New moon on Sun, Nov 8 · 11:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From November 9 to 11.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 2:53–4:53 am, Minor 11:12 am–12:12 pm, Major 3:25–5:25 pm, Minor 8:39–9:39 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Sand Dollar Beach?
Overcast, from 60 °F to 67 °F, with a light breeze from the east (7 mph) and a 1% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Sand Dollar Beach?
Moderate (Douglas 4): 5.5 ft waves with a period of 10.1 s from the west-northwest. The water is 68.0 °F.
When is the best time to visit Sand Dollar Beach?
The best time to visit Sand Dollar Beach is from July to September: highs of 69 °F to 71 °F, barely 1 rainy day a month and 10 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: NOAA station Mansfield Cone (public domain), via Slackwater database. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).