Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Black Point Beach, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 5–6ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 5-6ft and poor conditions with strong NNW wind at 14mph. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 20mph.
Sun, May 17: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on SW swell at 13s with light winds out of the NW. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 17mph and poor by then.
Mon, May 18: 4–5ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 10s with light NNE winds. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and poor - fair by then.
Tue, May 19: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the NE. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Wed, May 20: 3–4ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with barely a breath of wind. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
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Black Point Beach is a sandy beach break on the rugged Sonoma Coast, offering W swell exposure and uncrowded peaks in a scenic setting. The forgiving sand bottom and mellow wave character are appealing, but the Sonoma Coast is known for dangerous conditions — cold water, powerful currents, and shark activity make this intermediate territory. Morning glass sessions with offshore E winds produce the cleanest conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Black Point Beach is 5-6ft with a 8.05s swell period. Wind is NNW at 13mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Black Point Beach is 5-6ft, produced by a 2.5ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 1.4ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.7ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s, a 7.7ft NW wind swell swell at 8s. 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 Black Point Beach is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 15.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Black Point 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 Black Point 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.
Black Point Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Black Point Beach is a sandy beach break on the rugged Sonoma Coast, offering W swell exposure and uncrowded peaks in a scenic setting. The forgiving sand bottom and mellow wave character are appealing, but the Sonoma Coast is known for dangerous conditions — cold water, powerful currents, and shark activity make this intermediate territory. Morning glass sessions with offshore E winds produce the cleanest conditions.
The prime season at Black Point 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 Black Point Beach include cold water, sharks, rip currents, strong currents, rocks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Black Point 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.
