Los Angeles County, California
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Venice Beach for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Venice Beach, Los Angeles County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Tue, Jun 30: 2–2ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on WSW swell at 5s with calm winds. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and poor by then.
Wed, Jul 1: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2ft on WSW swell at 5s with light winds out of the SSE. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to poor.
Thu, Jul 2: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on WSW swell at 5s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on WSW swell at 5s and light ESE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Jul 4: 2–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on SW swell at 12s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor.
Venice Beach offers accessible, rolling beach breaks that peel along the sandy bottom, making it an ideal spot for beginners and casual surfers looking to practice fundamentals. The NE-facing beach receives best energy from southern and southwestern swells during fall months, when consistent groundswell arrives from distant Southern Hemisphere storms. This iconic LA beach break can get crowded, especially on weekends, but the mellow, forgiving waves and long sandy breaks provide plenty of space for everyone to find a section to surf.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Venice Beach is 1-2ft with a 13.8s swell period. Wind is WSW at 7mph 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 Venice Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1ft WSW primary swell at 5s, a 0.7ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.5ft SW tertiary swell at 14s. 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 Venice Beach is Thursday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 2ft waves, a 15.55s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Venice Beach works best with a S 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 Venice 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.
Venice Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Venice Beach offers accessible, rolling beach breaks that peel along the sandy bottom, making it an ideal spot for beginners and casual surfers looking to practice fundamentals. The NE-facing beach receives best energy from southern and southwestern swells during fall months, when consistent groundswell arrives from distant Southern Hemisphere storms. This iconic LA beach break can get crowded, especially on weekends, but the mellow, forgiving waves and long sandy breaks provide plenty of space for everyone to find a section to surf.
The prime season at Venice 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 Venice Beach include crowded, localism, strong currents at piers. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Venice 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
