Northern California
Best window·Sunday 6AM–9AM·4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at South 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: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor - fair with glassy conditions.
Thu, Jun 25: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Expect 2-3ft waves early on NW swell at 6s.
Fri, Jun 26: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 8s with light SSW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Jun 27: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Midday is the call — 3-4ft waves with gentle NW breeze and fair - good conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Sun, Jun 28: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to fair.
South Beach in Del Norte County is a remote beach break near Crescent City that faces southwest, picking up SW swells from Pacific storms. The sandy bottom produces fun peaks when conditions align, but the remote location, frigid water, and powerful NorCal surf conditions demand intermediate-level experience at minimum. Not a place for beginners given the isolation and environmental hazards.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at South Beach is 1-2ft with a 6.5s swell period. Wind is SW at 7mph 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 South Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.9ft NW primary swell at 7s, a 1.1ft SW secondary swell at 15s, a 0.9ft SW 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 South Beach is Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 9.1s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
South Beach works best with a SW swell and NE 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 South 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.
South Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. South Beach in Del Norte County is a remote beach break near Crescent City that faces southwest, picking up SW swells from Pacific storms. The sandy bottom produces fun peaks when conditions align, but the remote location, frigid water, and powerful NorCal surf conditions demand intermediate-level experience at minimum. Not a place for beginners given the isolation and environmental hazards.
The prime season at South 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 South Beach include cold water, strong currents, sharks, isolation, powerful shorebreak. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our South 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.
