Northern California
Best window·Thursday 6AM–9AM·3ft·Fair
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.
Tue, Jun 30: 5–6ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on NW swell at 9s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 20mph from the NNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Wed, Jul 1: 4–5ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on NW swell at 10s with 13mph NNW winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Thu, Jul 2: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Expect 3-4ft all day on WNW swell at 9s with calm winds — nothing amazing but surfable. Afternoon breeze fills in to 9mph.
Fri, Jul 3: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with glassy conditions.
Sat, Jul 4: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. Morning kicks off with 2-3ft on WNW swell at 7s.
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 4-5ft with a 9.45s swell period. Wind is NNW at 13mph 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 Wages Creek Beach is 4-5ft, produced by a 6.2ft NW primary swell at 9s, a 0.8ft SW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.5ft SW tertiary swell at 19s. 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 Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 8.65s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
