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.
Mon, May 25: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 14s with light winds out of the NNW. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Tue, May 26: 5–5ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 12s with 14mph out of the NW. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 20mph and poor - fair by then.
Wed, May 27: 9–9ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Afternoon is the play — morning is only poor - fair at 9ft. Later in the day looks more promising — 9ft and poor - fair.
Thu, May 28: 5–5ft, 20s period, rated Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 6ft waves, calm winds, fair - good conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Fri, May 29: 6–6ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 6ft on WNW swell at 16s with light winds out of the NNW. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
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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 14.4s swell period. Wind is NW at 6mph 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 2.2ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 1.8ft WNW secondary swell at 9s, a 1.4ft SSW 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 Four Mile Beach is Wednesday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 9ft waves, a 12.55s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - 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.
