Northern California
Best window·Sunday 7AM–10AM·4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Jones 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: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with barely a breath of wind. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Thu, Jun 25: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Patience pays off today — morning is poor - fair with 2-3ft. Afternoon shapes up better with 3-4ft and poor - fair conditions.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 5s with barely a breath of wind. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 8mph and poor - fair by then.
Sat, Jun 27: 4–5ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 8s with light winds out of the NNW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Jun 28: 5–6ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with light NNE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 16mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Jones Beach is a rugged and relatively remote surf spot tucked along the wild Mendocino Coast of Northern California, where the Pacific delivers consistent northwest and west swells to a sandy beach break. Facing ENE, this spot benefits from the natural protection of the surrounding headlands, which can help groom conditions when offshore winds cooperate. The combination of powerful open-ocean swells and a sparse crowd makes it a rewarding destination for surfers willing to seek out Northern California's less-traveled stretches of coastline.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Jones Beach is 2ft with a 17.7s swell period. Wind is SSW at 3mph 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 Jones Beach is 2ft, produced by a 2.7ft WNW primary swell at 6s, a 1.6ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 1.3ft SSW 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 Jones Beach is Sunday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 4ft waves, a 9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Jones Beach works best with a W 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 Jones 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.
Jones Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Jones Beach is a rugged and relatively remote surf spot tucked along the wild Mendocino Coast of Northern California, where the Pacific delivers consistent northwest and west swells to a sandy beach break. Facing ENE, this spot benefits from the natural protection of the surrounding headlands, which can help groom conditions when offshore winds cooperate. The combination of powerful open-ocean swells and a sparse crowd makes it a rewarding destination for surfers willing to seek out Northern California's less-traveled stretches of coastline.
The prime season at Jones 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 Jones Beach include strong currents, cold water, sharks, rocky shoreline, shore dump, isolated location. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Jones 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.
