Los Angeles County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Burnout Beach, Los Angeles County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sun, May 10: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor - fair with light winds out of the WNW. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 11mph.
Mon, May 11: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 16s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Tue, May 12: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 15s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor.
Wed, May 13: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with gentle S breeze. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 11mph.
Thu, May 14: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with gentle SSE breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 12mph.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Burnout Beach is a sandy beach break in Los Angeles County that faces east, making it ideal for catching southern and southwestern swell during fall and winter swells. The mellow, forgiving waves here are perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to hone their skills in a relaxed setting. With its sandy bottom and consistent beach break characteristics, this spot offers a fun, accessible introduction to Southern California surfing.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Burnout Beach is 2-3ft with a 17.6s swell period. Wind is WNW at 12mph and conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Burnout Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1ft WSW primary swell at 9s, a 1ft SSW secondary swell at 18s, a 0.3ft W tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Burnout Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 16.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Burnout Beach works best with a S swell and E 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 Burnout Beach. 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.
Burnout Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Burnout Beach is a sandy beach break in Los Angeles County that faces east, making it ideal for catching southern and southwestern swell during fall and winter swells. The mellow, forgiving waves here are perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to hone their skills in a relaxed setting. With its sandy bottom and consistent beach break characteristics, this spot offers a fun, accessible introduction to Southern California surfing.
The prime season at Burnout Beach 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 Burnout Beach include localism, occasional strong currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Burnout Beach 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
