Northern California
Slim pickings today — 2-3ft and very poor with strong SSW wind at 16mph.
Slim pickings today — 2-3ft and very poor with strong SSW wind at 16mph.
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·4-5ft·Fair
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and very poor conditions with strong SSW wind at 16mph.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with light W winds. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on SW swell at 16s and light winds out of the SW. Onshore flow builds through the day to 16mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 15s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 15s with moderate WSW wind around 9mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 16mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 3-4ft waves, light SW winds, fair conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
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 Ocean Beach turns Good.
Check Ocean Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 2-3ft with a 8.1s swell period. Wind is SSW at 16mph. 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 Ocean Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.2ft W primary swell at 8s, a 1.8ft SSW secondary swell at 12s, a 1.5ft SW 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 Ocean Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 13.9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. 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).
