Northern California
Best window·Wednesday 6AM–9AM·5ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Little River State 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: 5–6ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 5-6ft waves on NW swell at 9s with barely a breath of wind. The N wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and poor by then.
Wed, Jul 1: 5–6ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 5-6ft waves on NW swell at 9s and light winds out of the W. Onshore flow builds through the day to 13mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Thu, Jul 2: 4–5ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Steady 4-5ft waves on offer on NW swell at 8s — glassy conditions. Expect the wind to bump up to around 9mph by PM.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 3-4ft waves and poor - fair conditions with calm winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 7mph.
Sat, Jul 4: 3–4ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 3-4ft and mostly poor - fair with calm winds. Expect the wind to bump up to around 7mph by PM.
Little River State Beach sits along the rugged Northern California coastline near Eureka, where the Little River meets the Pacific at around 41°N latitude. This beach break offers punchy, powerful waves shaped by the consistent Northwest swells that roll down from the North Pacific, producing short but hollow peaks along a scenic stretch of dark sand. The remote character of this Northern California gem means crowds are rarely an issue, though the cold water, powerful surf, and unpredictable conditions demand respect and experience.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Little River State Beach is 4-6ft with a 8.85s swell period. Wind is N at 5mph 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 Little River State Beach is 4-6ft, produced by a 7.5ft NW primary swell at 9s, a 0.6ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.4ft 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 Little River State Beach is Wednesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 8.9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Little River State 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 Little River State 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.
Little River State Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Little River State Beach sits along the rugged Northern California coastline near Eureka, where the Little River meets the Pacific at around 41°N latitude. This beach break offers punchy, powerful waves shaped by the consistent Northwest swells that roll down from the North Pacific, producing short but hollow peaks along a scenic stretch of dark sand. The remote character of this Northern California gem means crowds are rarely an issue, though the cold water, powerful surf, and unpredictable conditions demand respect and experience.
The prime season at Little River State 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 Little River State Beach include cold water, strong currents, river mouth currents, rip currents, shore break, sharks, isolated location, sneaker waves. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Little River State 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.
