Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at South Beach, Northern 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, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. Expect 3-4ft all day on WNW swell at 8s with 8mph from the NNE — nothing amazing but surfable. Afternoon breeze fills in to 19mph.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 12s with light NNE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 19mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on NW swell at 8s with light NE winds. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and poor - fair by then.
Tue, May 19: 3–4ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 10s with gentle NE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on NW swell at 8s with gentle NE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
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South Beach in Del Norte County is a remote beach break near Crescent City that faces southwest, picking up SW swells from Pacific storms. The sandy bottom produces fun peaks when conditions align, but the remote location, frigid water, and powerful NorCal surf conditions demand intermediate-level experience at minimum. Not a place for beginners given the isolation and environmental hazards.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at South Beach is 3-4ft with a 13.45s swell period. Wind is NE at 5mph and conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at South Beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 4.1ft WNW primary swell at 8s, a 3ft WNW secondary swell at 13s, a 0.9ft SW 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 South Beach is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 14.35s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
South Beach 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 South 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.
South Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. South Beach in Del Norte County is a remote beach break near Crescent City that faces southwest, picking up SW swells from Pacific storms. The sandy bottom produces fun peaks when conditions align, but the remote location, frigid water, and powerful NorCal surf conditions demand intermediate-level experience at minimum. Not a place for beginners given the isolation and environmental hazards.
The prime season at South 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 South Beach include cold water, strong currents, sharks, isolation, powerful shorebreak. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our South 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.
