Northern California
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·3ft·Fair
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.
Wed, Jun 24: 2–3ft, 19s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor conditions with glassy conditions. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 7mph.
Thu, Jun 25: 3–5ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-5ft on W swell at 8s with 11mph SW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 19mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor. 2-3ft waves to start the day on SW swell at 15s.
Sat, Jun 27: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor with 12mph from the WNW. Expect the wind to bump up to around 16mph by PM.
Sun, Jun 28: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 8s with light NE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
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 2ft with a 17.35s swell period. Wind is W at 13mph 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 Marin County is 2ft, produced by a 1.4ft SW primary swell at 17s, a 1.4ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.3ft W tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.4ft W wind swell swell at 6s. 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 Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 9.25s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
