Santa Cruz County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Mavericks, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Fri, Apr 10: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WSW swell at 8s with light SSW winds. The S wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and poor - fair by then.
Sat, Apr 11: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 3-4ft waves and poor - fair conditions with moderate SW wind around 12mph.
Sun, Apr 12: 10–11ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor with 10-11ft waves. Winds back off through the day and conditions clean up to poor - fair by PM.
Mon, Apr 13: 4–5ft, 10s period, rated Fair - Good. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on W swell at 10s with barely a breath of wind. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and poor - fair by then.
Tue, Apr 14: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 7s with 7mph W winds. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WSW swell at 8s with light SSW winds. The S wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and poor - fair by then.
A slow one — 3-4ft waves and poor - fair conditions with moderate SW wind around 12mph.
Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor with 10-11ft waves. Winds back off through the day and conditions clean up to poor - fair by PM.
Mavericks is one of the most dangerous big-wave spots on the planet, a right-hand reef off Pillar Point that only turns on for serious W to NW swells with long periods (17+ seconds). The wave throws over a jagged reef into extreme cold water shared by white sharks, and a successful session typically requires a jet-ski, a safety crew, and years of big-wave experience. Strictly for verified big-wave surfers.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Mavericks is 2-3ft with a 15.45s swell period. Wind is S at 7mph 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 Mavericks is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.7ft WSW primary swell at 8s, a 1.2ft W secondary swell at 15s, a 1.1ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s. 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 Mavericks is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 9.85s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Mavericks works best with a WNW 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 Mavericks. 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.
Mavericks is a reef with a reef bottom, suited to expert surfers. Mavericks is one of the most dangerous big-wave spots on the planet, a right-hand reef off Pillar Point that only turns on for serious W to NW swells with long periods (17+ seconds). The wave throws over a jagged reef into extreme cold water shared by white sharks, and a successful session typically requires a jet-ski, a safety crew, and years of big-wave experience. Strictly for verified big-wave surfers.
The prime season at Mavericks 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 Mavericks include huge surf, shallow reef, cold water, strong currents, sharks, jet-ski traffic. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Mavericks 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
