Northern California
Best window·Thursday 11AM–2PM·3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Stinson 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, 19s 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 Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 8s and light winds out of the S. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Jun 26: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 2ft and poor conditions with moderate NW wind around 10mph.
Sat, Jun 27: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 2ft waves and poor conditions with moderate WNW wind around 12mph. Expect the wind to bump up to around 16mph by PM.
Sun, Jun 28: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 8s with light NE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Stinson Beach is a scenic beach break in Marin County that faces southwest, requiring direct SW swells to light up properly. When it's on, the mile-long stretch of sand produces fun, workable peaks for intermediate surfers and longboarders. The tradeoff for its sheltered position is inconsistency — it misses the dominant NW swell that hammers Ocean Beach and the exposed coast. Located in the Red Triangle, shark awareness is essential here.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Stinson Beach is 2ft with a 17.35s swell period. Wind is W at 5mph 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 Stinson Beach 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 Stinson Beach is Thursday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 3ft waves, a 15.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Stinson 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 Stinson 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.
Stinson Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Stinson Beach is a scenic beach break in Marin County that faces southwest, requiring direct SW swells to light up properly. When it's on, the mile-long stretch of sand produces fun, workable peaks for intermediate surfers and longboarders. The tradeoff for its sheltered position is inconsistency — it misses the dominant NW swell that hammers Ocean Beach and the exposed coast. Located in the Red Triangle, shark awareness is essential here.
The prime season at Stinson 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 Stinson Beach include sharks, cold water, rip currents, rocks at beach ends, inconsistent waves. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Stinson 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.
