Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Westport-Union Landing, 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: 5–6ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 5-6ft and poor - fair with 15mph NNW winds.
Mon, May 11: 5–6ft, 11s period, rated Fair. Consistent 5-6ft surf through the day on WNW swell at 11s with barely a breath of wind. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 8mph.
Tue, May 12: 4–5ft, 11s period, rated Fair. Expect 4-5ft all day on WNW swell at 11s with barely a breath of wind — nothing amazing but surfable. Expect the wind to bump up to around 5mph by PM.
Wed, May 13: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on W swell at 11s with light SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, May 14: 4–5ft, 12s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on W swell at 11s with glassy conditions. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Westport-Union Landing is a remote beach break along the northern Mendocino coast, receiving consistent W and NW swells in an isolated, undeveloped setting. The sandy bottom can produce fun peaks, but the cold water, complete lack of safety infrastructure, and powerful NorCal conditions make this unsuitable for inexperienced surfers. A quiet escape for intermediate-plus surfers exploring the wild northern coast.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Westport-Union Landing is 5-6ft with a 10.65s swell period. Wind is NNW at 15mph 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 Westport-Union Landing is 5-6ft, produced by a 3.4ft W primary swell at 11s, a 0.8ft SW secondary swell at 16s, a 0.7ft SW tertiary swell at 18s, a 4.1ft WNW 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 Westport-Union Landing is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 10.85s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Westport-Union Landing works best with a W 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 Westport-Union Landing. 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.
Westport-Union Landing is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Westport-Union Landing is a remote beach break along the northern Mendocino coast, receiving consistent W and NW swells in an isolated, undeveloped setting. The sandy bottom can produce fun peaks, but the cold water, complete lack of safety infrastructure, and powerful NorCal conditions make this unsuitable for inexperienced surfers. A quiet escape for intermediate-plus surfers exploring the wild northern coast.
The prime season at Westport-Union Landing 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 Westport-Union Landing include cold water, sharks, strong currents, isolation, no lifeguards. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Westport-Union Landing 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.
