Northern California
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at South Beach for the cleanest windows.
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.
Tue, Jun 30: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with glassy conditions. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 18mph.
Wed, Jul 1: 2–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2ft waves on NW swell at 8s and moderate NNE wind around 10mph. Onshore flow builds through the day to 18mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Thu, Jul 2: 2–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on NW swell at 8s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2ft waves and poor - fair conditions with barely a breath of wind. Expect the wind to bump up to around 6mph by PM.
Sat, Jul 4: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2ft waves and poor - fair conditions with calm winds.
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 2ft with a 8.65s swell period. Wind is N at 13mph and 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 South Beach is 2ft, produced by a 5.3ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 0.7ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.5ft SW tertiary swell at 19s. 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 10 AM to 1 PM with 2ft waves, a 8.6s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
