Northern California
Best window·Tuesday 3PM–6PM·9ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Point Arena, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Jun 25: 5–7ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 5-7ft and poor - fair with glassy conditions.
Fri, Jun 26: 4–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 4-6ft with light winds out of the N. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Sat, Jun 27: 6–8ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor - fair with 5-7ft waves. Later in the day looks more promising — 6-8ft and fair.
Sun, Jun 28: 7–8ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 7-8ft waves on WNW swell at 8s with light winds out of the N. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and poor - fair by then.
Mon, Jun 29: 8–10ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 8-10ft on WNW swell at 9s with moderate NNW wind around 8mph. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Point Arena is one of the premier waves in Northern California — a ledgy slab reef producing both lefts and rights, with the left considered one of the best waves in NorCal. The wave works from chest-high to 20-foot-plus faces, breaking over a sharp rock shelf with a rusty ship boiler to avoid at low tide. A fiercely localized spot with a dedicated crew who protect their wave, this is a serious, heavy break that demands expert-level ability and local respect.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Point Arena is 5-7ft with a 15.55s swell period. Wind is N at 17mph 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 Point Arena is 5-7ft, produced by a 2.1ft SSW primary swell at 16s, a 0.7ft WNW secondary swell at 10s, a 4.5ft NW wind swell swell at 7s. 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 Point Arena is Tuesday from 3 PM to 6 PM with 9ft waves, a 9.7s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Point Arena 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 Point Arena. 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.
Point Arena is a reef with a reef bottom, suited to expert surfers. Point Arena is one of the premier waves in Northern California — a ledgy slab reef producing both lefts and rights, with the left considered one of the best waves in NorCal. The wave works from chest-high to 20-foot-plus faces, breaking over a sharp rock shelf with a rusty ship boiler to avoid at low tide. A fiercely localized spot with a dedicated crew who protect their wave, this is a serious, heavy break that demands expert-level ability and local respect.
The prime season at Point Arena 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 Point Arena include sharp reef, shallow rock shelf, submerged ship wreck, sharks, localism, cold water, strong currents, heavy surf. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Point Arena 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.
