Northern California
Best window·Monday 8AM–11AM·5ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ocean 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: 3–5ft, 19s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 3-4ft and poor - fair conditions with calm winds.
Thu, Jun 25: 4–6ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-6ft on WSW swell at 13s with 11mph SW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Very Poor. Skip the dawn patrol — 3-4ft and very poor early on. Later in the day looks more promising — 3-5ft and very poor.
Sat, Jun 27: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SW swell at 15s with strong WNW wind at 13mph. Onshore flow builds through the day to 19mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sun, Jun 28: 4–6ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on W swell at 11s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 16mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Ocean Beach is one of the heaviest beach breaks in North America, stretching 3.5 miles along San Francisco's western edge where powerful Pacific groundswells unload onto constantly shifting sandbars. Winter swells regularly produce double-overhead-plus surf with a notorious "zone of death" paddle-out through relentless whitewater and strong currents generated by the Golden Gate tidal exchange. Even experienced surfers treat OB with serious respect — this is not a learner's wave.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ocean Beach is 3-4ft with a 17.5s swell period. Wind is W 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 Ocean Beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 1.4ft SW primary swell at 18s, a 1.4ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.3ft W tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft 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 Ocean Beach is Monday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 5ft waves, a 9.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ocean 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 Ocean 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.
Ocean Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Ocean Beach is one of the heaviest beach breaks in North America, stretching 3.5 miles along San Francisco's western edge where powerful Pacific groundswells unload onto constantly shifting sandbars. Winter swells regularly produce double-overhead-plus surf with a notorious "zone of death" paddle-out through relentless whitewater and strong currents generated by the Golden Gate tidal exchange. Even experienced surfers treat OB with serious respect — this is not a learner's wave.
The prime season at Ocean 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 Ocean Beach include strong currents, heavy shorebreak, cold water, shifting sandbars, sharks, rip currents, large surf. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ocean 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.
