Los Angeles County, California
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.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 6s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 8s and gentle E breeze. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor - fair by then.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on WSW swell at 7s with gentle SE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with glassy conditions. Afternoon breeze fills in to 11mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 20s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with barely a breath of wind. Expect the wind to bump up to around 9mph by PM.
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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 2-3ft with a 15.1s swell period. Wind is W at 3mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Venice Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.2ft W primary swell at 6s, a 0.8ft SSW secondary swell at 15s, a 0.7ft SSW tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Saturday from 5 PM to 8 PM with 3ft waves, a 14.4s swell period, and conditions rated 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
