Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Point Arena, 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: 6–7ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 6-7ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 29mph N winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 37mph.
Sun, May 17: 8–9ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 8-9ft and mostly poor - fair with 32mph out of the N.
Mon, May 18: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 10s with light winds out of the NNE. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 18mph and poor by then.
Tue, May 19: 7–8ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 7-8ft waves on NW swell at 9s with light winds out of the NNE. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and poor - fair by then.
Wed, May 20: 6–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on NW swell at 9s with light NNE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
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Point Arena is one of the premier waves in Northern California — a ledgy slab reef producing both lefts and rights, with the left considered one of the best waves in NorCal. The wave works from chest-high to 20-foot-plus faces, breaking over a sharp rock shelf with a rusty ship boiler to avoid at low tide. A fiercely localized spot with a dedicated crew who protect their wave, this is a serious, heavy break that demands expert-level ability and local respect.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Point Arena is 5-7ft with a 8.3s swell period. Wind is N at 29mph 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 Point Arena is 5-7ft, produced by a 2.4ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 1.6ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 7.7ft NW wind swell swell at 8s. 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 Point Arena is Wednesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 8.55s swell period, and conditions rated Very Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Point Arena works best with a NW 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 Point Arena. 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.
Point Arena is a reef with a reef bottom, suited to expert surfers. Point Arena is one of the premier waves in Northern California — a ledgy slab reef producing both lefts and rights, with the left considered one of the best waves in NorCal. The wave works from chest-high to 20-foot-plus faces, breaking over a sharp rock shelf with a rusty ship boiler to avoid at low tide. A fiercely localized spot with a dedicated crew who protect their wave, this is a serious, heavy break that demands expert-level ability and local respect.
The prime season at Point Arena 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 Point Arena include sharp reef, shallow rock shelf, submerged ship wreck, sharks, localism, cold water, strong currents, heavy surf. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Point Arena 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.
