Northern California
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.
Sat, May 16: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 3-4ft and poor - fair with 13mph NNW winds. Expect the wind to bump up to around 17mph by PM.
Sun, May 17: 4–5ft, 12s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on WSW swell at 13s with 9mph from the NNW. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 12s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on W swell at 11s with strong N wind at 14mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Tue, May 19: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 3-4ft on W swell at 10s with light winds out of the ENE. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up. Sea breeze fills back in by mid-afternoon so get on it early.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 13s with light winds out of the S. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
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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 3-4ft with a 8.95s swell period. Wind is NNW at 12mph 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 3-4ft, produced by a 1ft SW primary swell at 14s, a 1ft SW secondary swell at 16s, a 7.7ft WNW wind swell swell at 9s. 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 Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 11.25s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
