Northern California
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.
Sat, May 16: 10–11ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 9-10ft waves on WSW swell at 15s with 14mph NW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 26mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 11–12ft, 10s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 10-11ft waves on WNW swell at 10s with moderate NW wind around 11mph. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 22mph and poor by then.
Mon, May 18: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 6-7ft waves, 7mph from the NNW, poor - fair conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Tue, May 19: 5–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 6-7ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the W and dropping conditions to fair.
Wed, May 20: 6–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 9s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 7mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to fair.
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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 9-10+ft with a 8.75s swell period. Wind is NW at 13mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Dillon Beach is 9-10+ft, produced by a 1ft SSW primary swell at 15s, a 9.4ft WNW wind swell swell at 9s. 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 Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 15.3s swell period, and conditions rated Very 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
