Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Pelican State 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: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on WNW swell at 12s with light NNE winds. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and poor - fair by then.
Sun, May 17: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Rideable all day with 4-5ft waves on WNW swell at 12s and moderate NNE wind around 8mph. Expect the wind to bump up to around 13mph by PM.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on NW swell at 8s with light NE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, May 19: 4–5ft, 17s period, rated Fair - Good. First light looks cleanest — 5-6ft on WNW swell at 15s with light winds out of the NE. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Wed, May 20: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on NW swell at 7s with gentle NE breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Takes 10 seconds with Google or Apple.
Pelican State Beach sits just south of the Oregon border, one of the loneliest beaches in California with no facilities whatsoever. The west-facing sandy beach picks up W and NW Pacific swells, producing beach break peaks in a strikingly remote setting. While the waves themselves can be mellow, the extreme isolation, cold water, and lack of any help nearby make this unsuitable for inexperienced surfers.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Pelican State Beach is 4-5ft with a 13.5s swell period. Wind is ENE at 4mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Pelican State Beach is 4-5ft, produced by a 4.7ft WNW primary swell at 13s, a 0.9ft SSW secondary swell at 15s, a 0.7ft SW tertiary swell at 15s. 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 Pelican State Beach is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 14.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Pelican State 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 Pelican State 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.
Pelican State Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Pelican State Beach sits just south of the Oregon border, one of the loneliest beaches in California with no facilities whatsoever. The west-facing sandy beach picks up W and NW Pacific swells, producing beach break peaks in a strikingly remote setting. While the waves themselves can be mellow, the extreme isolation, cold water, and lack of any help nearby make this unsuitable for inexperienced surfers.
The prime season at Pelican State 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 Pelican State Beach include extreme isolation, cold water, sharks, no facilities, strong currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Pelican State 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.
