Northern California
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 9s with 9mph S winds.
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 9s with 9mph S winds.
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 9s with 9mph from the S. The S wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and very poor by then.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Very Poor. 2-3ft waves to start the day on WNW swell at 10s.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Patience pays off today — morning is poor with 2-3ft. Things come together by the afternoon with 1-2ft at poor - fair.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 8s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the NW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 8s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when South Beach turns Good.
Check South Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 2-3ft with a 9.1s swell period. Wind is S at 9mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at South Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 5.3ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 3ft SW wind swell swell at 6s, a 0.9ft SW tertiary swell at 12s. 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 Saturday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 8.9s 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. 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).
