Santa Cruz County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Seabright Beach, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Mon, May 25: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 14s with light WNW winds. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down. Afternoon wind picks back up so try to get wet before 2pm.
Tue, May 26: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Skip the dawn patrol — 2-3ft and fair early on. Swell fills in and gets up to 5ft by PM — fair - good conditions.
Wed, May 27: 7–7ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 7ft on WNW swell at 13s with 9mph WNW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, May 28: 3–4ft, 20s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 5ft waves on WNW swell at 11s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SSW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Fri, May 29: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair - Good. Aim for the middle of the day — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 16s with gentle WNW breeze. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
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Seabright is a long exposed beach break just east of the Santa Cruz Harbor jetty. The jetty influences sand movement and shapes shifting sandbar peaks, with the best conditions on a combo NW/S swell. It is the closest spot to town but sees a fraction of the Pleasure Point crowd, making it a solid everyday option for intermediates.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Seabright Beach is 1-2ft with a 14.4s swell period. Wind is NNW at 4mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Seabright Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.6ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 1.4ft WNW secondary swell at 9s, a 1.2ft SSW 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 Seabright Beach is Tuesday from 5 PM to 8 PM with 6ft waves, a 14.65s swell period, and conditions rated Very Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Seabright Beach works best with a S swell and NE 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 Seabright 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.
Seabright Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Seabright is a long exposed beach break just east of the Santa Cruz Harbor jetty. The jetty influences sand movement and shapes shifting sandbar peaks, with the best conditions on a combo NW/S swell. It is the closest spot to town but sees a fraction of the Pleasure Point crowd, making it a solid everyday option for intermediates.
The prime season at Seabright 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 Seabright Beach include rip currents, cold water, jetty boat traffic, shifting sandbars. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Seabright 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.
