Washington
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on W swell at 11s and strong SE wind at 13mph.
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on W swell at 11s and strong SE wind at 13mph.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Ruby Beach for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ruby Beach, Washington. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3+ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3+ft on W swell at 11s with 13mph SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 9s with light winds out of the ENE. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and very poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with light winds out of the ENE.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 8s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 8s with calm winds. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and very poor by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when Ruby Beach turns Good.
Check Ruby Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Ruby Beach is a scenic, sandy beach break on Washington's rugged Olympic Peninsula coast that offers mellow, rolling waves perfect for learning and progression. The eastward-facing beach receives consistent autumn and winter swell from Pacific storms, with the sand bottom providing soft, forgiving conditions ideal for beginners. This remote, undercrowded gem delivers reliable waist-to-shoulder-high waves in a stunning natural setting dotted with sea stacks and tide pools.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ruby Beach is 2-3+ft with a 10.6s swell period. Wind is SE at 13mph. 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 Ruby Beach is 2-3+ft, produced by a 5.2ft W primary swell at 11s, a 3.6ft S wind swell swell at 7s, a 0.9ft WSW tertiary swell at 18s, a 0.9ft SW tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Ruby Beach is Thursday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 3ft waves, a 10.5s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ruby 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 Ruby 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.
Ruby Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Ruby Beach is a scenic, sandy beach break on Washington's rugged Olympic Peninsula coast that offers mellow, rolling waves perfect for learning and progression. The eastward-facing beach receives consistent autumn and winter swell from Pacific storms, with the sand bottom providing soft, forgiving conditions ideal for beginners. This remote, undercrowded gem delivers reliable waist-to-shoulder-high waves in a stunning natural setting dotted with sea stacks and tide pools.
The prime season at Ruby 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 Ruby Beach include strong currents, cold water temperatures, rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ruby 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).
