California Surf Report
There are a number of California surf reports, both free and paid. Ironically, the best reports are FREE. Windy.com publishes the newest and most easily understood graphics. Click on the text link under the embed map. If you are just beginning, scroll to the bottom of the page for a link that will take you to our understandings surfing reports page.
Southern California Surf
Southern California is the base of much of the industry and is for good reason surfing’s second home after Hawaii. Surfing by Duke Kahanamoku in 1915 has gone down into lore and celebrity. The sunshine beaches have numerous classic draws. You need to keep up with the Southern California surf reports. The degree of swell exposure, to storms from both the North and South Pacific mean year-round swell. Summer is slightly less consistent but still excellent by most standards. In autumn and and early spring the Santa Ana wind brings weeks of offshore conditions. If these combine with south swells then Malibu and Trestles will act-up whereas places such as Rincon require a more northerly swell.
Detailed and FREE Surf Report for Southern California
Central California Surf
San Francisco’s Ocean Beach is the most famous in Central California. Santa Cruz (first surfed in 1885 by three Hawaiian brothers) and of course there is Mavericks is a place of giant waves and a strong local contingent. California’s spots are very swell direction dependent with north and south swells affecting each spot differently. A big north-west swell will light-up Mavericks and generally arrives from autumn to spring. Central California surf reports are almost always required if you wanna stay safe. Whereas a west swell will suffer less shadowing due to the generally west facing beaches. Wind is predominately from the north-west.
Detailed and FREE Surf Report for Central California
Northern California Surf
You need the most up to date Northern California surf reports because compared to the calmer cousin in the courth, Northern California is cold, sharky and can be very rugged, but it has some of the greatest surf. Be prepared to battle against big waves and strong winds. Facing into North Pacific with endless reefs, points and beaches but most with difficult access. Dominant wind is from the north or north-west and swell from the north-west or west. Autumn through to spring is the most consistent with a succession of swells hammering the coastline. Sparsely populated this is still considered to be a surfing frontier by many.