Northern California
Expect 1-2ft waves early on W swell at 8s.
Expect 1-2ft waves early on W swell at 8s.
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·2-3+ft·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.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Expect 1-2ft waves early on W swell at 8s.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on W swell at 11s with 8mph WNW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SW swell at 16s with moderate WNW wind around 7mph. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 15s with 11mph NW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on SSW swell at 14s with light NW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Stinson Beach turns Good.
Check Stinson Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 1-2ft with a 8s swell period. Wind is SSE at 12mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Stinson Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.4ft W primary swell at 8s, a 1.8ft SSW secondary swell at 12s, a 1.5ft SW tertiary swell at 16s, a 1ft SSW wind swell swell at 2s. 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 3ft waves, a 13.9s 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. 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).
