Santa Cruz County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Four Mile Beach, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Mon, May 25: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 14s with light winds out of the NW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, May 26: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 12s with moderate NW wind around 12mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 19mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor.
Wed, May 27: 9–9ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 9ft on WNW swell at 13s with 7mph from the WNW. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Thu, May 28: 5–5ft, 21s period, rated Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 6ft waves, barely a breath of wind, fair - good conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down. Afternoon wind picks back up so try to get wet before 2pm.
Fri, May 29: 6–6ft, 16s period, rated Fair - Good. First light looks cleanest — 6ft on WNW swell at 16s with gentle NNW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
18s period — unlock the full 16-day forecast to track it
Takes 10 seconds with Google or Apple.
Four Mile is a legendary right-hand point/reef about four miles north of Santa Cruz, inside Wilder Ranch State Park. On clean WNW swells it produces long, fast, wrapping walls over a cobblestone-and-reef bottom, drawing crowds of experienced surfers up the coast. A long walk from the highway pullout and a steep trail keep the casual crowd out but not the locals.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Four Mile Beach is 2-3ft with a 15.25s swell period. Wind is NNW at 7mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Four Mile Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.9ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 1.7ft WNW secondary swell at 15s, a 1.4ft SSW tertiary swell at 15s. 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 Four Mile Beach is Thursday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 6ft waves, a 20.05s swell period, and conditions rated Very Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Four Mile Beach works best with a WNW 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 Four Mile 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.
Four Mile Beach is a point with a reef bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Four Mile is a legendary right-hand point/reef about four miles north of Santa Cruz, inside Wilder Ranch State Park. On clean WNW swells it produces long, fast, wrapping walls over a cobblestone-and-reef bottom, drawing crowds of experienced surfers up the coast. A long walk from the highway pullout and a steep trail keep the casual crowd out but not the locals.
The prime season at Four Mile Beach is winter, 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 Four Mile Beach include rocks, reef, cold water, localism, sharks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Four Mile 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.
