Santa Cruz County, California
First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on S swell at 15s with moderate NW wind around 9mph.
First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on S swell at 15s with moderate NW wind around 9mph.
Best window·Sunday 11AM–2PM·5-6ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Waddell Creek, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sun, Sep 6: 6–7ft, 15s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on S swell at 15s with moderate NW wind around 9mph. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 17mph and very poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 15s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 14s with 8mph NW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Tue, Sep 8: 4–5ft, 12s period, rated Good. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 12s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 7mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Wed, Sep 9: 2–3+ft, 11s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on S swell at 11s with gentle NNW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 16mph from the NW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Thu, Sep 10: 3–4ft, 12s period, rated Good. The sweet spot is around midday — 3-4ft waves, 8mph NNW winds, good conditions. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up. Sea breeze fills back in by mid-afternoon so get on it early.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Waddell Creek from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Waddell Creek is an exposed beach break at the creek mouth where Highway 1 meets the coast, best known for relentless afternoon NW wind that has made it a legendary kite- and windsurfing spot. Mornings can deliver punchy, cold peaks that handle plenty of size from NW swells, while the creek-mouth sandbar shifts throughout the year and produces both lefts and rights.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Waddell Creek is 4-5ft with a 15.4s swell period. Wind is NNW at 4mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Waddell Creek is 4-5ft, produced by a 4.1ft S primary swell at 15s, a 3ft NW secondary swell at 9s, a 2.2ft SSW tertiary swell at 11s, a 2.2ft NW wind swell swell at 4s, a 0.8ft W 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 Waddell Creek is Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 5ft waves, a 15.1s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Waddell Creek works best with a WNW 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 Waddell Creek. 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.
Waddell Creek is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Waddell Creek is an exposed beach break at the creek mouth where Highway 1 meets the coast, best known for relentless afternoon NW wind that has made it a legendary kite- and windsurfing spot. Mornings can deliver punchy, cold peaks that handle plenty of size from NW swells, while the creek-mouth sandbar shifts throughout the year and produces both lefts and rights.
The prime season at Waddell Creek 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 Waddell Creek include strong winds, rip currents, cold water, sharks, kiteboarding traffic. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Waddell Creek 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).
