Northern California
Slim pickings today — 2-3ft and poor - fair with gentle SSE breeze.
Slim pickings today — 2-3ft and poor - fair with gentle SSE breeze.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·2-3+ft·Fair
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with light winds out of the SSE.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3+ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3+ft on WNW swell at 11s with barely a breath of wind. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the N. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 17mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 15s with gentle NE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 20mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on S swell at 14s with light winds out of the N. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and very poor by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Black Point Beach turns Good.
Check Black Point Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 2-3ft with a 8.1s swell period. Wind is S at 10mph. 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 2-3ft, produced by a 4.3ft WNW primary swell at 8s, a 2ft S secondary swell at 12s, a 1.4ft 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 Black Point Beach is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 10.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
