Northern California
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and barely a breath of wind.
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and barely a breath of wind.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·3-4ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Moonstone 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: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3+ft on W swell at 9s with calm winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 10s with light SSE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with gentle ENE breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 8s with light SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on NW swell at 8s and gentle E breeze. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and very poor by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when Moonstone beach turns Good.
Check Moonstone beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Moonstone Beach is one of the few genuinely beginner-friendly surf spots in Humboldt County, with a wide flat beach and sandy bottom producing mellow waves. Despite the name — moonstones and agates are found on the beach itself, not in the surf zone. A local surf camp operates here, making it one of the few places in far NorCal where newcomers can safely learn. Even here, cold water requires a thick wetsuit, and shark awareness is essential in the Red Triangle.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Moonstone beach is 2-3+ft with a 9.1s swell period. Wind is SSW at 4mph. 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 Moonstone beach is 2-3+ft, produced by a 5.7ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 0.8ft SW secondary swell at 17s, a 0.8ft SW tertiary swell at 12s, a 0.8ft SW 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 Moonstone beach is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 10.4s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Moonstone 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 Moonstone 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.
Moonstone beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Moonstone Beach is one of the few genuinely beginner-friendly surf spots in Humboldt County, with a wide flat beach and sandy bottom producing mellow waves. Despite the name — moonstones and agates are found on the beach itself, not in the surf zone. A local surf camp operates here, making it one of the few places in far NorCal where newcomers can safely learn. Even here, cold water requires a thick wetsuit, and shark awareness is essential in the Red Triangle.
The prime season at Moonstone 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 Moonstone beach include cold water, sharks, rip currents, urchins. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Moonstone 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).
