San Diego Dive Conditions — Live Oceanographic Model

Real-Time Dive and Fishing Conditions for San Diego County

We built something that no consumer fishing app currently offers: a scientifically calibrated oceanographic model that combines 16 weighted variables to calculate real-time dive and fishing conditions for San Diego County. This goes far beyond the basic solunar tables and weather data that apps like Fishbrain rely on.

➡️ Check Live Conditions Now

View real-time Fish Probability, Dive Visibility scores, and 5-day forecasts for 8 San Diego dive sites: SpearFactor Conditions →

What Makes This Different

The model pulls live data from multiple oceanographic sources: NOAA CO-OPS (La Jolla Station 9410230) for water temperature and tides, the National Weather Service for wind and rainfall, NDBC Buoy 46225 at Torrey Pines for swell height, period, and direction, and NOAA ERDDAP for upwelling indices. It auto-populates 8-12 of the 16 factors without any manual input.

The 16 Scored Variables

Dive Conditions: Wind direction, wind speed, swell height, swell period, swell direction, rainfall (last 72 hours), and bottom type. Ocean State: Water temperature, 3-day temperature trend, tide state, current direction, current strength, and upwelling index. Fish Activity: Moon phase, seasonal CPFV catch rates, and fishing pressure.

Species-Specific Scoring

Each variable is weighted differently depending on the target species. Yellowtail favor 65-72 degree water with moderate current near structure and are best 2-5 days after upwelling events. White Sea Bass prefer calm, cool water (58-64 degrees) in kelp beds and hunt by sound, making quiet conditions critical. Halibut scoring is driven by grunion run predictions — they feed aggressively on sandy beaches 2-6 nights after new and full moons from March through September. The model adjusts all weights when you switch between General, Yellowtail, White Sea Bass, and Halibut profiles.

CPFV Fish Reports (Rr Factor)

The seasonal activity factor is calibrated against 5 years of CDFW Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel logbook data from San Diego half-day boats (2021-2025). This gives a monthly catch rate index that reflects real historical patterns. For example, Yellowtail peak in June through August while White Sea Bass peak April through June. March scores as low activity for yellowtail but moderate for WSB, which matches what divers actually experience.

5-Day Forecast

The forecast shows morning, noon, and evening predictions for 5 days using NWS wind forecasts, NOAA tide predictions, water temperature trend extrapolation, upwelling delay effects, and grunion run scheduling. Each time slot shows Fish Probability, Dive Visibility with estimated feet, and the best dive window for each day.

Wave Energy Index

Instead of just looking at swell height, the model calculates wave energy (height squared times period) which is what actually determines sediment suspension and underwater visibility. High wave energy means more turbidity regardless of whether it comes from a large swell or a long-period groundswell. The derived visibility estimate combines wave energy with rainfall data, chlorophyll levels, and location-specific shelter (kelp density and exposure).

Data Sources

CDIP (Coastal Data Information Program, UCSD): Wave height, period, direction, and sea surface temperature from 8 nearshore buoy stations. NOAA CO-OPS: Water temperature, tide predictions, and current estimates. National Weather Service: Wind speed, direction, and precipitation forecasts. NOAA PFEL: Bakun upwelling index for 33N 119W. NCEI ERDDAP: Satellite SST and chlorophyll-a concentrations. CDFW: Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel logbook data (2021-2025).

🔗 Bookmark the live conditions page: spearfactor.com/conditions