Northern California
Aim for the middle of the day — 4-5ft on W swell at 9s with light SW winds.
Aim for the middle of the day — 4-5ft on W swell at 9s with light SW winds.
Best window·Thursday 11AM–2PM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Wheeler Beach, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 4–5ft, 10s period, rated Good. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 4-5ft with light SW winds. 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.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4+ft, 11s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4+ft waves on WNW swell at 11s with 10mph from the SSE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 9s with light NE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on W swell at 11s with calm winds. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 5s and light NE winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Wheeler Beach from the lineup
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Wheeler Beach is a remote beach break along the wild Mendocino coast, offering W swell exposure and a sandy bottom in a rugged wilderness setting. The isolation and standard NorCal hazards — cold water, sharks, strong currents — make this intermediate territory at minimum. A peaceful spot for self-sufficient surfers seeking solitude on the Lost Coast.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Wheeler Beach is 4-5ft with a 9.2s swell period. Wind is SSW at 2mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Wheeler Beach is 4-5ft, produced by a 5.5ft W primary swell at 9s, a 1.6ft S secondary swell at 12s, a 1.3ft SW tertiary swell at 17s. 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 Wheeler Beach is Thursday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 4ft waves, a 9.2s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Wheeler Beach works best with a W swell and E 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 Wheeler 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.
Wheeler Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Wheeler Beach is a remote beach break along the wild Mendocino coast, offering W swell exposure and a sandy bottom in a rugged wilderness setting. The isolation and standard NorCal hazards — cold water, sharks, strong currents — make this intermediate territory at minimum. A peaceful spot for self-sufficient surfers seeking solitude on the Lost Coast.
The prime season at Wheeler Beach is winter, 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 Wheeler Beach include cold water, sharks, strong currents, isolation, heavy shorebreak. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Wheeler 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. 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).
