Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Usal 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. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor with 4-5ft waves. Swell fills in and gets up to 8-9ft by PM — poor conditions.
Sun, May 17: 9–10ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 8-9ft waves on SW swell at 13s with moderate NNW wind around 9mph. The N wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and poor by then.
Mon, May 18: 6–7ft, 9s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 9s with gentle NE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the NNW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Tue, May 19: 6–7ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 8-9ft waves on WNW swell at 11s with light NE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Wed, May 20: 6–7ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 7-8ft waves on WNW swell at 10s with light winds out of the NE. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
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Usal Beach is a remote, rugged stretch of Northern California coastline that offers consistent beach breaks with a raw, undeveloped character. The east-facing beach captures winter swells from the Pacific, creating shapely waves that work best during larger swell periods when the sandy bottom provides forgiving conditions. Its isolated location near the Lost Coast makes it an excellent destination for surfers seeking solitude and uncrowded waves away from the busier Humboldt County breaks.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Usal Beach is 4-5ft with a 13.5s swell period. Wind is N at 6mph 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 Usal Beach is 4-5ft, produced by a 3.1ft WNW primary swell at 13s, a 1.4ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 4.9ft WNW 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 Usal Beach is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 10.75s swell period, and conditions rated Very Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Usal 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 Usal 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.
Usal Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Usal Beach is a remote, rugged stretch of Northern California coastline that offers consistent beach breaks with a raw, undeveloped character. The east-facing beach captures winter swells from the Pacific, creating shapely waves that work best during larger swell periods when the sandy bottom provides forgiving conditions. Its isolated location near the Lost Coast makes it an excellent destination for surfers seeking solitude and uncrowded waves away from the busier Humboldt County breaks.
The prime season at Usal Beach is winter, 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 Usal Beach include rip currents, rocky outcrops, remote location with limited access, strong winter swells. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Usal 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.
