Swell Intel

Stinson Beach Surf Forecast, Northern California

Northern California

Bolinas0-1ftBolinas Jetty1-2ftMarin County1-2ft
Stinson Beach surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
1-2ft
ankle to knee high
Swell Period
14.75s
Wind
4mph
SW / Gusts 9mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Primary
0.9ft @ 12sSSW
Secondary
0.7ft @ 15sW
Tertiary
0.6ft @ 15sSW
Wind Swell
1.0ft @ 4sSSW

Nearest Webcam

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 311-2ft
Poor
6am9am12pm3pm
Wed, Apr 11-2ft
Poor

Not the most exciting day — 0-1ft and poor conditions with gentle WSW breeze. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 13mph.

6am9am12pm3pm
12s SSW|5-13mph S
Thu, Apr 21-2ft
Poor

A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with moderate NW wind around 12mph.

6am9am12pm3pm
13s WSW|7-12mph NNW
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Sat

Forecast Charts

Stinson Beach Surf Spot Guide

Break
Beach
Bottom
Sand
Level
Intermediate
Crowd
Light
Best Swell
SW
Best Wind
NE
Season
Fall

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.

SharksCold waterRip currentsRocks at beach endsInconsistent waves

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

Stinson Beach Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Stinson Beach?
The current wave height at Stinson Beach is 1-2ft with a 14.75s swell period. Wind is SW at 4mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
How accurate is the Stinson Beach surf forecast?
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.
What is the breaking wave height at Stinson Beach?
The current breaking wave height at Stinson Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 0.9ft SSW primary swell at 12s, a 0.7ft W secondary swell at 15s, a 0.6ft SW tertiary swell at 15s, a 1ft SSW wind swell swell at 4s. 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.
When is the best time to surf Stinson Beach?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Stinson Beach is Thursday from 2 PM to 5 PM with 2ft waves, a 11.55s swell period, and conditions rated Poor. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.