Santa Cruz County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Four Mile Beach, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Fri, Apr 10: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WSW swell at 8s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sat, Apr 11: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 10s with 8mph from the WSW. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, Apr 12: 12–13ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Skip the dawn patrol — 11-12ft and poor early on. The breeze eases and things smooth out to poor - fair by PM.
Mon, Apr 13: 5–6ft, 10s period, rated Very Good. First light looks cleanest — 5-6ft on W swell at 10s with light NNE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to fair - good.
Tue, Apr 14: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on W swell at 10s with gentle N breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WSW swell at 8s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 10s with 8mph from the WSW. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Skip the dawn patrol — 11-12ft and poor early on. The breeze eases and things smooth out to poor - fair by PM.
Four Mile is a legendary right-hand point/reef about four miles north of Santa Cruz, inside Wilder Ranch State Park. On clean WNW swells it produces long, fast, wrapping walls over a cobblestone-and-reef bottom, drawing crowds of experienced surfers up the coast. A long walk from the highway pullout and a steep trail keep the casual crowd out but not the locals.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Four Mile Beach is 2-3ft with a 15.45s swell period. Wind is WSW at 2mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Four Mile Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 2ft W primary swell at 8s, a 1.4ft WNW secondary swell at 15s, a 1.2ft 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 Four Mile Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 6ft waves, a 9.7s swell period, and conditions rated Very Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Four Mile Beach works best with a WNW swell and NE 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 Four Mile 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.
Four Mile Beach is a point with a reef bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Four Mile is a legendary right-hand point/reef about four miles north of Santa Cruz, inside Wilder Ranch State Park. On clean WNW swells it produces long, fast, wrapping walls over a cobblestone-and-reef bottom, drawing crowds of experienced surfers up the coast. A long walk from the highway pullout and a steep trail keep the casual crowd out but not the locals.
The prime season at Four Mile Beach is winter, 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 Four Mile Beach include rocks, reef, cold water, localism, sharks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Four Mile 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.
