Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ten Mile 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: 6–7ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 14s with 20mph NNW winds. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 30mph and poor by then.
Sun, May 17: 10–11ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 10-11ft and poor with strong N wind at 22mph. Expect the wind to bump up to around 30mph by PM.
Mon, May 18: 7–8ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 8-9ft on NW swell at 9s with light ENE winds. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and poor - fair by then.
Tue, May 19: 6–7ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 7-8ft on NW swell at 9s with gentle ENE breeze. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Wed, May 20: 6–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 7-8ft waves on WNW swell at 11s and calm winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
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Ten Mile Beach stretches for miles along the Mendocino coast north of Fort Bragg, offering consistent beach break peaks across a vast, empty sandy shoreline. The open W and NW swell exposure means waves are powerful and plentiful, but the remote setting, cold water, and lack of safety infrastructure require intermediate-level competence. One of the longest continuous surf beaches in NorCal.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ten Mile Beach is 6-7ft with a 13.85s swell period. Wind is NNW at 20mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Ten Mile Beach is 6-7ft, produced by a 3ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 0.9ft SW secondary swell at 15s, a 6.6ft NW wind swell swell at 7s. 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 Ten Mile Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 8ft waves, a 9.25s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ten Mile Beach works best with a W swell and E 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 Ten Mile 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.
Ten Mile Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Ten Mile Beach stretches for miles along the Mendocino coast north of Fort Bragg, offering consistent beach break peaks across a vast, empty sandy shoreline. The open W and NW swell exposure means waves are powerful and plentiful, but the remote setting, cold water, and lack of safety infrastructure require intermediate-level competence. One of the longest continuous surf beaches in NorCal.
The prime season at Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Beach include cold water, sharks, strong currents, isolation, rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ten Mile 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.
