Northern California
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Bolinas for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Bolinas, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Wed, Jun 24: 1–2ft, 19s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with barely a breath of wind.
Thu, Jun 25: 1–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor - fair conditions with gentle S breeze. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 10mph.
Fri, Jun 26: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with 10mph NW winds.
Sat, Jun 27: 1–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with 11mph W winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 16mph.
Sun, Jun 28: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on W swell at 11s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Bolinas is one of the few mellow surf spots in NorCal, sheltered by the jetty at the entrance to Bolinas Lagoon. The west side produces lefts while the east side (Sea Drift) offers rights when sandbars cooperate. The town is famously reclusive — locals have historically torn down road signs — but the in-water vibe is generally friendly. One of the more approachable waves in the region for intermediate surfers comfortable with cold water and shark country.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Bolinas is 1-2ft with a 17.5s swell period. Wind is WNW at 5mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Bolinas is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.4ft SW primary swell at 18s, a 1.4ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.3ft W tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft W wind swell swell at 6s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Bolinas is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 8.95s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Bolinas works best with a SW swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Bolinas. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Bolinas is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Bolinas is one of the few mellow surf spots in NorCal, sheltered by the jetty at the entrance to Bolinas Lagoon. The west side produces lefts while the east side (Sea Drift) offers rights when sandbars cooperate. The town is famously reclusive — locals have historically torn down road signs — but the in-water vibe is generally friendly. One of the more approachable waves in the region for intermediate surfers comfortable with cold water and shark country.
The prime season at Bolinas is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Bolinas include sharks, cold water, rip currents, localism, rocks near jetty. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Bolinas forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
