Ventura County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Silver Strand, Ventura County, 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: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on W swell at 10s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 4–5ft, 12s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on W swell at 10s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 12s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 12s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 11s with gentle SE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with gentle SE breeze.
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Silver Strand is a sandy beach break located in Ventura County that catches northeast-facing swells, making it a natural funnel for local swell energy. The wide sandy bottom provides a forgiving learning environment with rolling, user-friendly waves that peel consistently across the beach. This spot works best during fall and winter when Pacific swells wrap around the coast, offering accessible waves for surfers of all levels.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Silver Strand is 3-4ft with a 9.65s swell period. Wind is NE at 1mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Silver Strand is 3-4ft, produced by a 3.9ft W primary swell at 10s, a 1ft SSW secondary swell at 13s, a 0.7ft S tertiary swell at 16s. 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 Silver Strand is Sunday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 4ft waves, a 12.3s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Silver Strand works best with a SW 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 Silver Strand. 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.
Silver Strand is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Silver Strand is a sandy beach break located in Ventura County that catches northeast-facing swells, making it a natural funnel for local swell energy. The wide sandy bottom provides a forgiving learning environment with rolling, user-friendly waves that peel consistently across the beach. This spot works best during fall and winter when Pacific swells wrap around the coast, offering accessible waves for surfers of all levels.
The prime season at Silver Strand 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 Silver Strand include beach erosion, occasional shore break. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Silver Strand 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.
