Northern California
Best window·Thursday 6AM–9AM·3ft·Fair
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.
Tue, Jun 30: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 5-6ft and poor - fair conditions with light winds out of the N. Expect the wind to bump up to around 23mph by PM.
Wed, Jul 1: 6–7ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 6-7ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 17mph N winds.
Thu, Jul 2: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Expect 4-5ft all day on NW swell at 9s with light winds out of the NNW — nothing amazing but surfable. Expect the wind to bump up to around 12mph by PM.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor - fair with barely a breath of wind. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 9mph.
Sat, Jul 4: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor - fair with gentle NNW breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 9mph.
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 4-6ft with a 9.55s swell period. Wind is N at 15mph 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 4-6ft, produced by a 6.8ft NW primary swell at 10s, a 1.3ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.7ft SW tertiary swell at 19s. 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 Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 8.55s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
