Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ocean Beach, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 7–8ft, 9s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 7-8ft waves and poor conditions with strong NW wind at 16mph. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 25mph.
Sun, May 17: 7–8ft, 12s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 7-8ft waves on WSW swell at 13s with 12mph NW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 21mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 12s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 5-6ft on W swell at 11s with 17mph out of the N. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, May 19: 4–5ft, 16s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on W swell at 10s with light ESE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Wed, May 20: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 13s and gentle SSW breeze. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and fair by then.
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Ocean Beach is one of the heaviest beach breaks in North America, stretching 3.5 miles along San Francisco's western edge where powerful Pacific groundswells unload onto constantly shifting sandbars. Winter swells regularly produce double-overhead-plus surf with a notorious "zone of death" paddle-out through relentless whitewater and strong currents generated by the Golden Gate tidal exchange. Even experienced surfers treat OB with serious respect — this is not a learner's wave.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ocean Beach is 6-8ft with a 8.95s swell period. Wind is WNW at 16mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Ocean Beach is 6-8ft, produced by a 1ft SW primary swell at 14s, a 1ft SW secondary swell at 16s, a 7.7ft WNW wind swell swell at 9s. 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 Ocean Beach is Tuesday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 5ft waves, a 15.5s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ocean 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 Ocean 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.
Ocean Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Ocean Beach is one of the heaviest beach breaks in North America, stretching 3.5 miles along San Francisco's western edge where powerful Pacific groundswells unload onto constantly shifting sandbars. Winter swells regularly produce double-overhead-plus surf with a notorious "zone of death" paddle-out through relentless whitewater and strong currents generated by the Golden Gate tidal exchange. Even experienced surfers treat OB with serious respect — this is not a learner's wave.
The prime season at Ocean Beach 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 Ocean Beach include strong currents, heavy shorebreak, cold water, shifting sandbars, sharks, rip currents, large surf. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ocean 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
