Northern California
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.
Sat, May 16: 5–6ft, 14s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 7s with 11mph from the N. Onshore flow builds through the day to 20mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 6–7ft, 13s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 8-9ft and poor conditions with strong N wind at 15mph. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 21mph.
Mon, May 18: 6–7ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 7-8ft waves on NW swell at 8s with light ENE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Tue, May 19: 5–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 7-8ft waves on NW swell at 8s and light ENE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 20: 6–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on NW swell at 8s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 7mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
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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 3-4ft with a 13.6s swell period. Wind is NNE at 9mph and conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at College Cove is 3-4ft, produced by a 4.3ft NW primary swell at 7s, a 3.1ft WNW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.7ft SW tertiary swell at 15s. 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 Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 8ft waves, a 8.5s swell period, and conditions rated Very 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
