Northern California
Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and gentle S breeze.
Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and gentle S breeze.
Best window·Friday 8AM–11AM·3-4+ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Wilson 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.
Thu, Sep 3: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the SSW. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4+ft, 10s period, rated Fair. Afternoon is the play — morning is only poor at 3-4+ft. Winds back off through the day and conditions clean up to fair by PM.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 9s with gentle NE breeze. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 8s with barely a breath of wind. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 6mph and poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 8s with calm winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Wilson Creek Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Wilson Creek Beach is a remote sandy beach break on the Del Norte County coast, offering fun peaks when W and NW swells push through. The isolation, cold water, and lack of facilities or other surfers make this unsuitable for beginners. A rewarding find for experienced surfers seeking solitude in the wild NorCal landscape.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Wilson Creek Beach is 3-4ft with a 9.2s swell period. Wind is SSW at 7mph. Conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Wilson Creek Beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 5.4ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 2.8ft SW wind swell swell at 6s, a 1ft SW tertiary swell at 12s. 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 Wilson Creek Beach is Friday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 4ft waves, a 10.1s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Wilson Creek 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 Wilson 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.
Wilson Creek Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Wilson Creek Beach is a remote sandy beach break on the Del Norte County coast, offering fun peaks when W and NW swells push through. The isolation, cold water, and lack of facilities or other surfers make this unsuitable for beginners. A rewarding find for experienced surfers seeking solitude in the wild NorCal landscape.
The prime season at Wilson 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 Wilson Creek Beach include cold water, strong currents, sharks, extreme isolation, no services. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Wilson 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. 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).
