Northern California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Wages Creek 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: 5–6ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 5-6ft waves on WNW swell at 14s with 17mph NNW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 25mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 6–7ft, 9s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 6-7ft on WNW swell at 9s with 16mph out of the N. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 25mph and poor by then.
Mon, May 18: 4–5ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 5-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and light ENE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to fair.
Tue, May 19: 5–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 5-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with gentle ENE breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Wed, May 20: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on WNW swell at 13s and calm winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
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Wages Creek Beach is a remote sandy beach break on the Mendocino coast that picks up NW Pacific swells well. The uncrowded setting and sandy bottom make for fun peaks, but the cold water, isolation, and standard NorCal hazards require intermediate experience. A quiet gem for surfers exploring north of Fort Bragg.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Wages Creek Beach is 5-6ft with a 13.8s swell period. Wind is N at 17mph 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 Wages Creek Beach is 5-6ft, produced by a 2.7ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 0.7ft SW secondary swell at 16s, a 0.6ft SSW tertiary 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 Wages Creek Beach is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 6ft waves, a 15.35s swell period, and conditions rated Very Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Wages Creek Beach works best with a NW swell and SE 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 Wages Creek 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.
Wages Creek Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Wages Creek Beach is a remote sandy beach break on the Mendocino coast that picks up NW Pacific swells well. The uncrowded setting and sandy bottom make for fun peaks, but the cold water, isolation, and standard NorCal hazards require intermediate experience. A quiet gem for surfers exploring north of Fort Bragg.
The prime season at Wages Creek 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 Wages Creek Beach include cold water, sharks, rip currents, isolation, rocks at beach ends. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Wages Creek 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.
