Oregon
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 10-11ft with 19mph out of the SSE.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 10-11ft with 19mph out of the SSE.
Best window·Thursday 10AM–1PM·10-11ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Cannon Beach, Oregon. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 10–11ft, 11s period, rated Good. The sweet spot is around midday — 10-11ft waves, 19mph out of the SSE, good conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Fri, Sep 4: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Good. Get out early for the best of it — 6-7ft waves on W swell at 9s and light ENE winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4+ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4+ft on WNW swell at 9s with light E winds. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 8mph and poor - fair by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3+ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3+ft and mostly poor - fair with 7mph NE winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 2-3ft and poor - fair with light winds out of the SSE.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Cannon Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Cannon Beach is a classic Pacific Northwest beach break offering consistent, mellow waves that peel across a wide sandy bottom, making it an ideal spot for beginners and intermediate surfers. The iconic Haystack Rock formations provide a scenic backdrop and create interesting wave dynamics near the headland. The exposed eastward-facing beach picks up solid autumn and winter swells while maintaining accessibility and forgiving conditions most of the year.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Cannon Beach is 10-11ft with a 10.8s swell period. Wind is SSE at 22mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Cannon Beach is 10-11ft, produced by a 9.7ft W primary swell at 11s, a 1ft SW secondary swell at 17s, a 1ft SW tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Cannon Beach is Thursday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 10ft waves, a 10.8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Cannon 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 Cannon 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.
Cannon Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Cannon Beach is a classic Pacific Northwest beach break offering consistent, mellow waves that peel across a wide sandy bottom, making it an ideal spot for beginners and intermediate surfers. The iconic Haystack Rock formations provide a scenic backdrop and create interesting wave dynamics near the headland. The exposed eastward-facing beach picks up solid autumn and winter swells while maintaining accessibility and forgiving conditions most of the year.
The prime season at Cannon 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 Cannon Beach include rocks, strong currents near haystack rock, rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Cannon 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).
