Northern California
Aim for the middle of the day — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 9s with light SW winds.
Aim for the middle of the day — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 9s with light SW winds.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·7-8ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at College Cove, 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: 7–8ft, 11s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the SSW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 7–8ft, 11s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 7-8ft on NW swell at 10s with 9mph from the S. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–5ft, 9s period, rated Fair - Good. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and gentle ENE breeze. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3+ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 2-3+ft and poor - fair with light winds out of the ESE.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on NW swell at 8s with light winds out of the ESE. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check College Cove from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
College Cove is a sheltered sandy cove near Trinidad in Humboldt County, offering some of the more forgiving conditions in the area thanks to its protected geometry. NW swells wrap into the cove and produce mellow, workable peaks over a sandy bottom. While gentler than the exposed coast, the standard NorCal cold water and remote environment require intermediate experience.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at College Cove is 4-6ft with a 9.4s swell period. Wind is SSW at 6mph. Conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at College Cove is 4-6ft, produced by a 6.4ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 1.3ft SW secondary swell at 17s, a 1.3ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s. 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 College Cove is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 10.5s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
College Cove works best with a NW 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 College Cove. 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.
College Cove is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. College Cove is a sheltered sandy cove near Trinidad in Humboldt County, offering some of the more forgiving conditions in the area thanks to its protected geometry. NW swells wrap into the cove and produce mellow, workable peaks over a sandy bottom. While gentler than the exposed coast, the standard NorCal cold water and remote environment require intermediate experience.
The prime season at College Cove 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 College Cove include cold water, sharks, rip currents, rocks near cove edges. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our College Cove 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).
