Northern California
Skip the dawn patrol — 3-4+ft and fair early on.
Skip the dawn patrol — 3-4+ft and fair early on.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Pudding Creek 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: 4–5ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Skip the dawn patrol — 3-4+ft and fair early on. Things come together by the afternoon with 4-5ft at fair - good.
Fri, Sep 4: 4–5ft, 11s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on NW swell at 11s with gentle S breeze. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the E. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on NW swell at 7s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the NNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3+ft on NW swell at 5s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Want to score Pudding Creek Beach? Get a free email before the next one fires.
Check Pudding Creek Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Pudding Creek Beach is a raw and scenic surf spot on the Northern California coast near Fort Bragg, where Pudding Creek meets the Pacific and sculpts shifting sandbars that can produce surprisingly fun, punchy waves. The beach faces west and picks up powerful northwest groundswells that dominate this stretch of the Mendocino coastline, delivering hollow, fast-breaking waves that reward surfers who know how to read unpredictable sand bottom setups. Its remote feel and rugged Northern California beauty keep crowds minimal, making it a rewarding discovery for adventurous surfers willing to handle the cold water and moody conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Pudding Creek Beach is 3-4+ft with a 9.4s swell period. Wind is SW at 4mph. Conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Pudding Creek Beach is 3-4+ft, produced by a 6.3ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 1.7ft S secondary swell at 12s, a 1.4ft SSW tertiary swell at 17s. 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 Pudding Creek Beach is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 10.6s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Pudding Creek Beach 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 Pudding Creek 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.
Pudding Creek Beach is a rivermouth with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Pudding Creek Beach is a raw and scenic surf spot on the Northern California coast near Fort Bragg, where Pudding Creek meets the Pacific and sculpts shifting sandbars that can produce surprisingly fun, punchy waves. The beach faces west and picks up powerful northwest groundswells that dominate this stretch of the Mendocino coastline, delivering hollow, fast-breaking waves that reward surfers who know how to read unpredictable sand bottom setups. Its remote feel and rugged Northern California beauty keep crowds minimal, making it a rewarding discovery for adventurous surfers willing to handle the cold water and moody conditions.
The prime season at Pudding Creek 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 Pudding Creek Beach include cold water, strong currents, rip currents near creek mouth, shifting sandbars, rocks near creek outlet, shore break, sharks, kelp. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Pudding Creek 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).
