Northern California
Best window·Sunday 9AM–12PM·4ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Wheeler 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: 3–5ft, 18s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-5ft on WNW swell at 6s with calm winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Thu, Jun 25: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 7s with light NNW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Fri, Jun 26: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WSW swell at 8s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Sat, Jun 27: 5–6ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on WNW swell at 9s with light N winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sun, Jun 28: 5–6ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 5-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with gentle NNE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 16mph from the NW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Wheeler Beach is a remote beach break along the wild Mendocino coast, offering W swell exposure and a sandy bottom in a rugged wilderness setting. The isolation and standard NorCal hazards — cold water, sharks, strong currents — make this intermediate territory at minimum. A peaceful spot for self-sufficient surfers seeking solitude on the Lost Coast.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Wheeler Beach is 3-4+ft with a 17.65s swell period. Wind is W at 3mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Wheeler Beach is 3-4+ft, produced by a 2.9ft WNW primary swell at 6s, a 1.6ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 1.3ft SSW 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 Wheeler Beach is Sunday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 4ft waves, a 9.25s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Wheeler Beach 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 Wheeler 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.
Wheeler Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Wheeler Beach is a remote beach break along the wild Mendocino coast, offering W swell exposure and a sandy bottom in a rugged wilderness setting. The isolation and standard NorCal hazards — cold water, sharks, strong currents — make this intermediate territory at minimum. A peaceful spot for self-sufficient surfers seeking solitude on the Lost Coast.
The prime season at Wheeler Beach 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 Wheeler Beach include cold water, sharks, strong currents, isolation, heavy shorebreak. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Wheeler 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.
