Los Angeles County, California
Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 11s with 9mph from the ESE.
Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 11s with 9mph from the ESE.
Best window·Sunday 10AM–1PM·6-7ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Malibu - First Point, 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: 2–3ft, 12s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 11s and 9mph ESE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 18s with 10mph ENE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–5ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on SSW swell at 16s with barely a breath of wind. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 8mph and fair by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 6–7ft, 15s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 4-6ft on S swell at 15s with light winds out of the WNW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–6ft, 13s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 4-6ft on S swell at 13s with light winds out of the NW. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and fair by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Malibu - First Point turns Good.
Check Malibu - First Point from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Malibu First Point is the most famous right point break in the world — a World Surfing Reserve where cobblestone bottom creates mechanical, 200-yard peeling rights on south swells. The wave is slow and forgiving enough for beginners but the crowd is not: 40-100 surfers pack the lineup on good days, with experienced longboarders dominating the takeoff zone. Functionally intermediate due to crowd navigation alone.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Malibu - First Point is 2-3ft with a 10.5s swell period. Wind is S at 11mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Malibu - First Point is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.3ft SSW primary swell at 11s, a 1.3ft WSW wind swell swell at 5s, a 0.9ft 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 Malibu - First Point is Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 6ft waves, a 14.3s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Malibu - First Point works best with a SSW 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 Malibu - First Point. 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.
Malibu - First Point is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Malibu First Point is the most famous right point break in the world — a World Surfing Reserve where cobblestone bottom creates mechanical, 200-yard peeling rights on south swells. The wave is slow and forgiving enough for beginners but the crowd is not: 40-100 surfers pack the lineup on good days, with experienced longboarders dominating the takeoff zone. Functionally intermediate due to crowd navigation alone.
The prime season at Malibu - First Point is summer, 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 Malibu - First Point include extreme crowds, aggressive longboard priority, cobblestone bottom, parking and access chaos. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Malibu - First Point 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).
