Oregon
Midday is the call — 4-5ft waves with strong S wind at 15mph and poor - fair conditions.
Midday is the call — 4-5ft waves with strong S wind at 15mph and poor - fair conditions.
Best window·Thursday 11AM–2PM·4-5ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Winchester Bay, Oregon. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 4–6ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Midday is the call — 4-5ft waves with strong S wind at 15mph and poor - fair conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 10s and moderate S wind around 12mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and gentle ENE breeze. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with calm winds. Expect the wind to bump up to around 7mph by PM.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on NW swell at 8s with light winds out of the ENE. The NNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when Winchester Bay turns Good.
Check Winchester Bay from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Winchester Bay is a rivermouth break located on the Oregon coast where the Umpqua River meets the Pacific Ocean, offering sandbars that shift with river flow and tidal influence to produce punchy, hollow waves. The spot faces southeast toward the ocean, picking up Northwest swells that wrap around the river mouth and break over sand formations shaped by the river's outflow. This uncrowded gem rewards patient surfers with quality peaks, especially during fall when Oregon's swell season kicks in and offshore winds are most consistent.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Winchester Bay is 4-5ft with a 10.9s swell period. Wind is S at 14mph. 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 Winchester Bay is 4-5ft, produced by a 8.9ft WNW primary swell at 11s, a 3.9ft SSW wind swell swell at 7s, a 1.1ft SW tertiary swell at 12s, a 1ft SW tertiary swell at 16s. 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 Winchester Bay is Thursday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 5ft waves, a 10.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Winchester Bay works best with a NW 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 Winchester Bay. 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.
Winchester Bay is a rivermouth with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Winchester Bay is a rivermouth break located on the Oregon coast where the Umpqua River meets the Pacific Ocean, offering sandbars that shift with river flow and tidal influence to produce punchy, hollow waves. The spot faces southeast toward the ocean, picking up Northwest swells that wrap around the river mouth and break over sand formations shaped by the river's outflow. This uncrowded gem rewards patient surfers with quality peaks, especially during fall when Oregon's swell season kicks in and offshore winds are most consistent.
The prime season at Winchester Bay 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 Winchester Bay include strong currents, rip currents, shifting sandbars, cold water, river outflow, boat traffic, sneaker waves. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Winchester Bay 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).
