Northern California
Patience pays off today — morning is very poor with 1-2ft.
Patience pays off today — morning is very poor with 1-2ft.
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·2-3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Bolinas, 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 Very Poor. Afternoon is the play — morning is only very poor at 1-2ft. Winds back off through the day and conditions clean up to poor by PM.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with 9mph from the WNW.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor - fair with 7mph from the WNW. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 15mph.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Morning kicks off with 1-2ft on SSW swell at 15s.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Consistent 2-3ft surf through the day on SSW swell at 14s with light winds out of the NW. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 14mph.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Bolinas turns Good.
Check Bolinas from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Bolinas is one of the few mellow surf spots in NorCal, sheltered by the jetty at the entrance to Bolinas Lagoon. The west side produces lefts while the east side (Sea Drift) offers rights when sandbars cooperate. The town is famously reclusive — locals have historically torn down road signs — but the in-water vibe is generally friendly. One of the more approachable waves in the region for intermediate surfers comfortable with cold water and shark country.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Bolinas is 1-2ft with a 8.2s swell period. Wind is SSE at 12mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Bolinas is 1-2ft, produced by a 3.5ft WNW primary swell at 8s, a 2.1ft SSW secondary swell at 12s, a 1.5ft SW tertiary swell at 16s, a 1.1ft S wind swell swell at 2s. 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 Bolinas is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 13.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Bolinas works best with a SW 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 Bolinas. 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.
Bolinas is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Bolinas is one of the few mellow surf spots in NorCal, sheltered by the jetty at the entrance to Bolinas Lagoon. The west side produces lefts while the east side (Sea Drift) offers rights when sandbars cooperate. The town is famously reclusive — locals have historically torn down road signs — but the in-water vibe is generally friendly. One of the more approachable waves in the region for intermediate surfers comfortable with cold water and shark country.
The prime season at Bolinas 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 Bolinas include sharks, cold water, rip currents, localism, rocks near jetty. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Bolinas 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).
