Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Marin County, Northern 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: 5–6ft, 19s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 6-7ft and mostly poor - fair with 14mph out of the WNW.
Mon, May 11: 5–6ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 5-6ft on W swell at 9s with moderate S wind around 8mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Tue, May 12: 4–5ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on W swell at 12s with light winds out of the SSW. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor - fair by then.
Wed, May 13: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 12s with light SW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, May 14: 4–5ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 4-5ft on W swell at 11s with glassy conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
This Marin County beach break sits along the rugged coast south of Stinson Beach, receiving powerful NW and W groundswells that produce punchy, hollow peaks. The remote setting keeps crowds minimal, but the cold water, strong currents, and Red Triangle shark activity demand experienced intermediates at minimum. A rewarding find for surfers comfortable in raw NorCal conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Marin County is 5-7ft with a 11.05s swell period. Wind is WNW at 14mph 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 Marin County is 5-7ft, produced by a 1ft SW primary swell at 19s, a 1ft SW secondary swell at 15s, a 0.5ft W tertiary swell at 13s, a 3.4ft W wind swell swell at 11s. 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 Marin County is Thursday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 4ft waves, a 11.05s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Marin County 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 Marin County. 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.
Marin County is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. This Marin County beach break sits along the rugged coast south of Stinson Beach, receiving powerful NW and W groundswells that produce punchy, hollow peaks. The remote setting keeps crowds minimal, but the cold water, strong currents, and Red Triangle shark activity demand experienced intermediates at minimum. A rewarding find for surfers comfortable in raw NorCal conditions.
The prime season at Marin County 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 Marin County include cold water, sharks, strong currents, rocks, rip currents, fog, isolation. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Marin County 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.
