Northern California
Best window·Thursday 6AM–9AM·3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Marin County, 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: 4–5ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on W swell at 11s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 14mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor.
Wed, Jul 1: 4–5ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 5-6ft on W swell at 10s with 9mph from the S. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Thu, Jul 2: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 9s with moderate S wind around 7mph. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and poor by then.
Fri, Jul 3: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 7s with light winds out of the S. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor by then.
Sat, Jul 4: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 8s and gentle SSW breeze. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and poor by then.
This Marin County beach break sits along the rugged coast south of Stinson Beach, receiving powerful NW and W groundswells that produce punchy, hollow peaks. The remote setting keeps crowds minimal, but the cold water, strong currents, and Red Triangle shark activity demand experienced intermediates at minimum. A rewarding find for surfers comfortable in raw NorCal conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Marin County is 3-5ft with a 10.8s swell period. Wind is SW at 14mph 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 Marin County is 3-5ft, produced by a 3ft W primary swell at 11s, a 1.1ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.6ft 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 Marin County is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 15.7s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Marin County 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 Marin County. 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.
Marin County is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. This Marin County beach break sits along the rugged coast south of Stinson Beach, receiving powerful NW and W groundswells that produce punchy, hollow peaks. The remote setting keeps crowds minimal, but the cold water, strong currents, and Red Triangle shark activity demand experienced intermediates at minimum. A rewarding find for surfers comfortable in raw NorCal conditions.
The prime season at Marin County is winter, 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 Marin County include cold water, sharks, strong currents, rocks, rip currents, fog, isolation. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Marin County 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.
