Los Angeles County, California
Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with gentle S breeze.
Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with gentle S breeze.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Hermosa Beach for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles County, 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: 1–2ft, 12s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with gentle S breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 18s period, rated Very Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 18s and 8mph from the E. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 16s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 1-2ft with barely a breath of wind. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 13s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on S swell at 13s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 14mph from the WSW 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 today — get one free email when Hermosa Beach turns Good.
Check Hermosa Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Hermosa Beach is a mellow South Bay beach break that depends heavily on sandbar configuration for wave quality. The pier creates better sandbars on either side. Less consistent and typically smaller than El Porto to the north (which benefits from the Redondo Canyon swell-focusing effect), but when the sandbars line up, Hermosa produces clean, fun peaks. A relaxed, recreational surf scene.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Hermosa Beach is 1-2ft with a 5.1s swell period. Wind is SW at 10mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Hermosa Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.5ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.5ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, a 1.1ft SSW 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 Hermosa Beach is Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 1ft waves, a 14.1s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Hermosa Beach works best with a SW 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 Hermosa 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.
Hermosa Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Hermosa Beach is a mellow South Bay beach break that depends heavily on sandbar configuration for wave quality. The pier creates better sandbars on either side. Less consistent and typically smaller than El Porto to the north (which benefits from the Redondo Canyon swell-focusing effect), but when the sandbars line up, Hermosa produces clean, fun peaks. A relaxed, recreational surf scene.
The prime season at Hermosa 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 Hermosa Beach include pier pilings, occasional rip currents, crowds in summer. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Hermosa 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).
