Point Arena (Arena Cove)
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Hourly Forecast
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
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Saturday 30
Sunday 31
Monday 01
Tuesday 02
Wednesday 03
Thursday 04
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Point Arena (Arena Cove) surf guide

Point Arena, located off Port Road at the south end of the Point Arena township, is a surf spot that draws attention for its unique waves. It's not the most well-known place, but it definitely has its moments, especially for more experienced surfers. The area is fairly remote, so you can find some solitude, but be prepared for some local surfers who aren't too friendly towards newcomers. The spot is best enjoyed in the autumn months when conditions are typically better.

When the swell is solid, Point Arena offers a steep, bowly takeoff with a powerful right-hander that can really barrel once you're in it. This right works best with a swell size of around 6 feet (1.8 meters) to 20 feet (6 meters) and needs a clean, incoming tide to really get going. The left side, located south of the pier, can also deliver some fun rides, particularly when it’s overhead and clean. It holds up pretty well in solid south swells too, and the wind from the northeast is favorable. However, be cautious of the rocky bottom, because there are some nasty dry rocks lurking close to shore, which can make things tricky if you're not careful.

Getting to the spot is fairly straightforward from Highway 1; just head west onto Port Road. The paddle-out isn’t too bad, but expect to navigate a keyhole in the rocky ledges. Keep in mind that the crowd factor can be intense here, with locals who may not appreciate outsiders. And just a heads-up—while shark sightings have happened in the area, there haven't been any attacks, but it's still something to think about while you're out on the water. Overall, this spot can be a solid choice for expert surfers looking for fun rides during the right conditions.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Point Arena (Arena Cove)

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Rivermouth break
Sat 30
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Rivermouth break
Sat 30
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Tue 2
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Beach break
Sat 30
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Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
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Manchester State Beach/Alder Creek
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Sat 30
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Sat 6
Sun 7
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Schooner Gulch-Moat Creek
California, United States
Beach break
Sat 30
Sun 31
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Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
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Mon 8
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Point Arena (Arena Cove)
California, United States
Reef break
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
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Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

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Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

Perfect
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Bad or No Data

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