Northern California
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.
Sun, May 10: 3–4ft, 19s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 3-4ft and mostly poor - fair with strong WNW wind at 13mph.
Mon, May 11: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 9s with gentle SSE breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Tue, May 12: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 12s and gentle SSW breeze. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Wed, May 13: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 12s with light SW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, May 14: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 11s with barely a breath of wind. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor - fair by then.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
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 3-4ft with a 11.05s swell period. Wind is WNW at 13mph 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 3-4ft, produced by a 1ft SW primary swell at 19s, a 1ft SW secondary swell at 15s, a 0.5ft W tertiary swell at 13s, a 3.4ft W wind swell swell at 11s. 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 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 11.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
