San Diego – Mission Bay
San Diego, California, United States
Sports: Wingfoiling, Windsurfing, Parawing, SUP
Best time to go: April–September
Mission Bay is a large man-made saltwater bay in the middle of San Diego, separated from the Pacific by a narrow strip of beach. Wind here comes mostly from a daily sea breeze: as the land heats up, cooler ocean air is drawn in from the west and north-west, usually building from late morning and peaking in the afternoon. It is rarely very strong, which keeps the bay calm and suits learners and light-wind foiling, while windier days in spring add a little chop.
The bay is shallow in many areas with a sandy and muddy bottom, so foilers should watch depth near shore and at low tide. Fiesta Island and the eastern bay are popular for winging, with open water and easy launching from the sand. The bay is divided into zones for swimming, slow speed, water-skiing and personal watercraft, and some areas restrict wind sports or launching, so check the current lifeguard and city rules before riding. Weekends are busy with boats and paddlers. The breeze is most reliable from spring to early autumn.
Month by month at San Diego – Mission Bay
- January: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 15°C, air 18°C (nights 9°C), 27 sunny days, 6 rainy days
- February: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 15°C, air 18°C (nights 9°C), 25 sunny days, 6 rainy days
- March: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 16°C, air 19°C (nights 10°C), 28 sunny days, 7 rainy days
- April: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 17°C, air 19°C (nights 12°C), 29 sunny days, 3 rainy days
- May: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 18°C, air 20°C (nights 14°C), 29 sunny days, 2 rainy days
- June: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 19°C, air 22°C (nights 16°C), 29 sunny days, 1 rainy day
- July: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1 m, water 21°C, air 24°C (nights 18°C), 31 sunny days, 0 rainy days
- August: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1 m, water 22°C, air 26°C (nights 19°C), 31 sunny days, 1 rainy day
- September: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1 m, water 22°C, air 26°C (nights 19°C), 29 sunny days, 3 rainy days
- October: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1 m, water 19°C, air 24°C (nights 15°C), 30 sunny days, 2 rainy days
- November: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1 m, water 17°C, air 20°C (nights 11°C), 28 sunny days, 4 rainy days
- December: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1 m, water 16°C, air 19°C (nights 9°C), 28 sunny days, 4 rainy days
When is the best time to go wingfoiling, windsurfing & parawing at San Diego – Mission Bay?
April–September, the well-known local wind season (weather models underestimate the local winds here).
How warm is the water at San Diego – Mission Bay?
15°C to 22°C over the year: a shorty or lycra in the warmest month, a 5/4 with boots in the coolest.
How windy is San Diego – Mission Bay?
About 10 days a year with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots in the daytime, most in March.
Figures from 5 years of weather data (Open-Meteo).
Spots near San Diego – Mission Bay
- Blacks Beach – La Jolla (13 km)
- Trestles – San Clemente (75 km)
- Huntington Beach (122 km)
- Malibu – Surfrider Beach (194 km)
More: All spots in United States · Wingfoiling in United States · Windsurfing in United States · Parawing in United States · SUP in United States
Compare with: Huntington Beach vs San Diego – Mission Bay · Malibu – Surfrider Beach vs San Diego – Mission Bay