Northern California
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Glass Beach for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Glass Beach, 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: 1–1ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1ft and mostly poor with calm winds.
Thu, Jun 25: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on NW swell at 7s with light NE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Jun 26: 1–1ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1ft and mostly poor with calm winds. Expect the wind to bump up to around 10mph by PM.
Sat, Jun 27: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly very poor with strong NW wind at 17mph. Afternoon breeze fills in to 24mph.
Sun, Jun 28: 2–2ft, 10s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 9s with light N winds. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 30mph and very poor by then.
Glass Beach is primarily a tourist attraction in Fort Bragg famous for its colorful sea glass, not a conventional surf spot. The rocky coastline and rough terrain make water entry and exit dangerous, with waves breaking over rock and debris from the former dump site. While theoretically surfable on bigger NW swells, this is not a recognized or regularly-surfed break and should only be considered by experienced surfers familiar with rocky NorCal conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Glass Beach is 1ft with a 6.15s swell period. Wind is WNW at 3mph 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 Glass Beach is 1ft, produced by a 3ft WNW primary swell at 6s, a 1ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.8ft SW tertiary swell at 18s. 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 Glass Beach is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 6.9s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Glass Beach works best with a NW 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 Glass 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.
Glass Beach is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Glass Beach is primarily a tourist attraction in Fort Bragg famous for its colorful sea glass, not a conventional surf spot. The rocky coastline and rough terrain make water entry and exit dangerous, with waves breaking over rock and debris from the former dump site. While theoretically surfable on bigger NW swells, this is not a recognized or regularly-surfed break and should only be considered by experienced surfers familiar with rocky NorCal conditions.
The prime season at Glass 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 Glass Beach include rocks, cobblestone bottom, cold water, strong currents, dangerous entry/exit, not a real surf break. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Glass 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
