Northern California
Best window·Thursday 6AM–9AM·4ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Glass Beach, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Tue, Jun 30: 7–8ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 6-7ft on NW swell at 9s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 22mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Wed, Jul 1: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Midday is the call — 6-7ft waves with 10mph from the N and poor - fair conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Thu, Jul 2: 4–5ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on NW swell at 9s with light NNW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Fri, Jul 3: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on NW swell at 7s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Sat, Jul 4: 3–4ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 3-4ft and mostly poor - fair with light winds out of the NNW.
Glass Beach is primarily a tourist attraction in Fort Bragg famous for its colorful sea glass, not a conventional surf spot. The rocky coastline and rough terrain make water entry and exit dangerous, with waves breaking over rock and debris from the former dump site. While theoretically surfable on bigger NW swells, this is not a recognized or regularly-surfed break and should only be considered by experienced surfers familiar with rocky NorCal conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Glass Beach is 5-6ft with a 9.4s swell period. Wind is NNE at 7mph 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 Glass Beach is 5-6ft, produced by a 8.1ft NW primary swell at 9s, a 0.8ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.5ft SW tertiary swell at 19s. 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 Glass Beach is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 8.65s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Glass Beach 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 Glass 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.
Glass Beach is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Glass Beach is primarily a tourist attraction in Fort Bragg famous for its colorful sea glass, not a conventional surf spot. The rocky coastline and rough terrain make water entry and exit dangerous, with waves breaking over rock and debris from the former dump site. While theoretically surfable on bigger NW swells, this is not a recognized or regularly-surfed break and should only be considered by experienced surfers familiar with rocky NorCal conditions.
The prime season at Glass 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 Glass Beach include rocks, cobblestone bottom, cold water, strong currents, dangerous entry/exit, not a real surf break. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Glass 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
