Los Angeles County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Burnout Beach, Los Angeles County, 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: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 7s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 8s and moderate ESE wind around 7mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 7s with moderate SE wind around 10mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with barely a breath of wind. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 13mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 22s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with calm winds. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 10mph.
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Burnout Beach is a sandy beach break in Los Angeles County that faces east, making it ideal for catching southern and southwestern swell during fall and winter swells. The mellow, forgiving waves here are perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to hone their skills in a relaxed setting. With its sandy bottom and consistent beach break characteristics, this spot offers a fun, accessible introduction to Southern California surfing.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Burnout Beach is 2-3ft with a 13.45s swell period. Wind is W at 2mph 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 Burnout Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.2ft W primary swell at 10s, a 1ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.4ft SSW 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 Burnout Beach is Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 3ft waves, a 13.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Burnout Beach works best with a S 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 Burnout 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.
Burnout Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Burnout Beach is a sandy beach break in Los Angeles County that faces east, making it ideal for catching southern and southwestern swell during fall and winter swells. The mellow, forgiving waves here are perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to hone their skills in a relaxed setting. With its sandy bottom and consistent beach break characteristics, this spot offers a fun, accessible introduction to Southern California surfing.
The prime season at Burnout 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 Burnout Beach include localism, occasional strong currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Burnout 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.
