Los Angeles County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Venice Beach, Los Angeles County, 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: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor - fair with 9mph from the W.
Mon, May 11: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 16s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor.
Tue, May 12: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with glassy conditions. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 8mph.
Wed, May 13: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with calm winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 10mph.
Thu, May 14: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with gentle SSE breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 10mph.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Venice Beach offers accessible, rolling beach breaks that peel along the sandy bottom, making it an ideal spot for beginners and casual surfers looking to practice fundamentals. The NE-facing beach receives best energy from southern and southwestern swells during fall months, when consistent groundswell arrives from distant Southern Hemisphere storms. This iconic LA beach break can get crowded, especially on weekends, but the mellow, forgiving waves and long sandy breaks provide plenty of space for everyone to find a section to surf.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Venice Beach is 2-3ft with a 17.6s swell period. Wind is WSW at 9mph 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 Venice Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1ft WSW primary swell at 9s, a 1ft SSW secondary swell at 18s, a 0.3ft SW tertiary swell at 16s. 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 Venice Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 16.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Venice Beach works best with a S 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 Venice 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.
Venice Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Venice Beach offers accessible, rolling beach breaks that peel along the sandy bottom, making it an ideal spot for beginners and casual surfers looking to practice fundamentals. The NE-facing beach receives best energy from southern and southwestern swells during fall months, when consistent groundswell arrives from distant Southern Hemisphere storms. This iconic LA beach break can get crowded, especially on weekends, but the mellow, forgiving waves and long sandy breaks provide plenty of space for everyone to find a section to surf.
The prime season at Venice 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 Venice Beach include crowded, localism, strong currents at piers. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Venice 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.
