Ventura County, California
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 11s and 10mph from the ESE.
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 11s and 10mph from the ESE.
Best window·Sunday 9AM–12PM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach, Ventura County, 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: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 11s and 10mph from the ESE. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 18s with 9mph from the ENE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Morning kicks off with 3-4ft on SSE swell at 13s.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on S swell at 14s with light winds out of the NW. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4+ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4+ft on S swell at 13s with gentle N breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach turns Good.
Check Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Zero/Nicholas Canyon is a sandy beach break located along Ventura County's scenic coastline, offering accessible waves suitable for learners and intermediate surfers. The beach faces WNW, making it responsive to west and northwest Pacific swells while benefiting from easterly offshore winds that groom the waves during morning sessions. This spot works best during fall and winter swells when distant storms generate consistent energy that wraps around the Southern California coast.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach is 1-2ft with a 10.5s swell period. Wind is WSW at 5mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.3ft SSW primary swell at 11s, a 1.2ft WSW wind swell swell at 5s, a 0.9ft SSW 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 Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach is Sunday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 5ft waves, a 14.1s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Zero/Nicholas Canyon County 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 Zero/Nicholas Canyon County 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.
Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Zero/Nicholas Canyon is a sandy beach break located along Ventura County's scenic coastline, offering accessible waves suitable for learners and intermediate surfers. The beach faces WNW, making it responsive to west and northwest Pacific swells while benefiting from easterly offshore winds that groom the waves during morning sessions. This spot works best during fall and winter swells when distant storms generate consistent energy that wraps around the Southern California coast.
The prime season at Zero/Nicholas Canyon County 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 Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach include rip currents, crowded beach access. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Zero/Nicholas Canyon County 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).
