Northern California
Patience pays off today — morning is poor with 3-4ft.
Patience pays off today — morning is poor with 3-4ft.
Best window·Friday 7AM–10AM·3-4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Dillon Beach, 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: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Skip the dawn patrol — 3-4ft and very poor early on. Winds back off through the day and conditions clean up to fair by PM.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 11s with 7mph WNW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3+ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on NW swell at 10s with gentle NE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 16mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on NW swell at 9s with light winds out of the NNW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 17mph and very poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3+ft on NW swell at 6s with gentle NE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 17mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when Dillon Beach turns Good.
Check Dillon Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Dillon Beach is a remote and scenic Northern California surf spot tucked near the mouth of Tomales Bay, where the beach faces nearly due west and picks up consistent northwest and west swells rolling in off the Pacific. The waves here are typically punchy and fast-breaking beach break, with conditions varying from mellow rollers ideal for intermediate surfers to powerful, hollow sections during larger northwest swells in fall and winter. Its relative isolation along the Northern California coast keeps crowds minimal, rewarding those willing to make the drive with uncrowded lineups and a raw, rugged coastal atmosphere.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Dillon Beach is 3-4ft with a 8.3s swell period. Wind is WSW at 4mph. 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 Dillon Beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 4.4ft WNW primary swell at 8s, a 1.5ft S secondary swell at 12s, a 1.2ft S wind swell swell at 3s, a 1.1ft SW 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 Dillon Beach is Friday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 4ft waves, a 10.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Dillon 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 Dillon 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.
Dillon Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Dillon Beach is a remote and scenic Northern California surf spot tucked near the mouth of Tomales Bay, where the beach faces nearly due west and picks up consistent northwest and west swells rolling in off the Pacific. The waves here are typically punchy and fast-breaking beach break, with conditions varying from mellow rollers ideal for intermediate surfers to powerful, hollow sections during larger northwest swells in fall and winter. Its relative isolation along the Northern California coast keeps crowds minimal, rewarding those willing to make the drive with uncrowded lineups and a raw, rugged coastal atmosphere.
The prime season at Dillon 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 Dillon Beach include strong currents, cold water, rip currents, sharks, shore break, fog. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Dillon 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).
