Terra Mar
Hourly
Confidence
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Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Wind: GFS (20251107 18z)
Waves: GFS WAVE (20251107 18z)

Terra Mar surf guide

Terra Mar is a surf spot located just south of Cannon Road along Highway 101. It's a bit of a hidden gem and can be somewhat fickle, often getting overlooked by surfers looking for consistent waves. The access point is easy to find, with parking available on the dirt lot on the ocean side of the highway. From there, you can walk down a path to the beach. Overall, it’s a generally quiet place to catch some waves, but things can get a little crowded when the surf is good.

The waves here can range from knee-high (about 0.6 meters) to a few feet overhead (around 2.4 meters). Terra Mar works best with swells coming from the South (S) and Northwest (NW), making it a versatile spot when those swells roll in. The bottom is mostly sandy with some boulders and rocks mixed in, which can create some fun beach breaks. You can find both lefts and rights here, but the quality can be variable. Timing the tide is crucial—mid-tide is preferred to avoid closures that often occur during low tides. When the conditions align, paddling out is manageable, though you’ll need to duck-dive through some whitewater as the size increases. Shortboards are a popular choice here, especially for those with some experience.

While it's not as crowded as some other marquee spots, expect to share the water with local surfers who know the area well, especially when conditions get good. The vibes are usually mellow, and it's a solid spot for surfers of various skill levels, though beginners should be careful of the waves when it's bigger. Terra Mar can handle swells from 2 feet to 8 feet (about 0.6 to 2.4 meters) and offers a fun surf experience throughout the year, particularly in the autumn, winter, and spring seasons.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Terra Mar

South Carlsbad State Beach
California, United States
Beach break
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Wed 19
Ponto
California, United States
Beach break
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Wed 19
Terra Mar
California, United States
Beach break
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Wed 19
Tamarack Avenue
California, United States
Beach break
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Wed 19
Carlsbad City Beach
California, United States
Beach break
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Wed 19
Confidence

Confidence tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High confidence: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium confidence: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low confidence: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate the wind confidence by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. For wave certainty we compare height, period and direction, also on multiple models. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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Readme

Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm — the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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