Northern California
Best window·Tuesday 5PM–8PM·3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Stinson 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: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 11s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 6mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Wed, Jul 1: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Morning kicks off with 3-4ft on W swell at 10s.
Thu, Jul 2: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 9s with moderate S wind around 7mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on W swell at 7s with light winds out of the S. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Jul 4: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 8s with gentle SSW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor.
Stinson Beach is a scenic beach break in Marin County that faces southwest, requiring direct SW swells to light up properly. When it's on, the mile-long stretch of sand produces fun, workable peaks for intermediate surfers and longboarders. The tradeoff for its sheltered position is inconsistency — it misses the dominant NW swell that hammers Ocean Beach and the exposed coast. Located in the Red Triangle, shark awareness is essential here.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Stinson Beach is 2-4ft with a 10.8s swell period. Wind is S at 8mph 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 Stinson Beach is 2-4ft, produced by a 3ft W primary swell at 11s, a 1.1ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.6ft 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 Stinson Beach is Tuesday from 5 PM to 8 PM with 3ft waves, a 10.9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Stinson 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 Stinson 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.
Stinson Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Stinson Beach is a scenic beach break in Marin County that faces southwest, requiring direct SW swells to light up properly. When it's on, the mile-long stretch of sand produces fun, workable peaks for intermediate surfers and longboarders. The tradeoff for its sheltered position is inconsistency — it misses the dominant NW swell that hammers Ocean Beach and the exposed coast. Located in the Red Triangle, shark awareness is essential here.
The prime season at Stinson 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 Stinson Beach include sharks, cold water, rip currents, rocks at beach ends, inconsistent waves. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Stinson 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.
