Northern California
Aim for the middle of the day — 3-4+ft on W swell at 9s with barely a breath of wind.
Aim for the middle of the day — 3-4+ft on W swell at 9s with barely a breath of wind.
Best window·Thursday 11AM–2PM·3-4+ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Jones Beach, Northern 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: 3–4+ft, 10s period, rated Good. Midday is the call — 3-4+ft waves with barely a breath of wind and good conditions. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 11s with moderate SE wind around 8mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3+ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3+ft on WNW swell at 9s with 7mph NNE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 11s with light NE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 5s with 10mph NE winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Jones Beach from the lineup
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Jones Beach is a rugged and relatively remote surf spot tucked along the wild Mendocino Coast of Northern California, where the Pacific delivers consistent northwest and west swells to a sandy beach break. Facing ENE, this spot benefits from the natural protection of the surrounding headlands, which can help groom conditions when offshore winds cooperate. The combination of powerful open-ocean swells and a sparse crowd makes it a rewarding destination for surfers willing to seek out Northern California's less-traveled stretches of coastline.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Jones Beach is 3-4+ft with a 9.2s swell period. Wind is SE at 3mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Jones Beach is 3-4+ft, produced by a 5.5ft W primary swell at 9s, a 1.6ft S secondary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft SW tertiary swell at 17s. 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 Jones Beach is Thursday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 4ft waves, a 9.2s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Jones 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 Jones 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.
Jones Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Jones Beach is a rugged and relatively remote surf spot tucked along the wild Mendocino Coast of Northern California, where the Pacific delivers consistent northwest and west swells to a sandy beach break. Facing ENE, this spot benefits from the natural protection of the surrounding headlands, which can help groom conditions when offshore winds cooperate. The combination of powerful open-ocean swells and a sparse crowd makes it a rewarding destination for surfers willing to seek out Northern California's less-traveled stretches of coastline.
The prime season at Jones 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 Jones Beach include strong currents, cold water, sharks, rocky shoreline, shore dump, isolated location. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Jones 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).
