Staircase Beach
Pull to refresh
Hourly Forecast
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
⏱️s.
⚡️kJ
🔮
🌒
Sunday 7
Monday 1
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 3
Thursday 4
Friday 5
Tap a forecast cell to explore conditions on the map.
This forecast is 3 hrs behind.
to get real-time data.
Surfnerd Logo
Join Surfnerd for free to check this forecast
Join Surfnerd to check forecasts, set your homespot, save and create spots and log your surf sessions.
Sign up with AppleSign up with Google

Staircase Beach surf guide

Staircase Beach is the northernmost undeveloped section of Leo Carrillo State Beach. This spot is accessed via a path from the public dirt parking lot near the State Park ranger’s residence at 4000 Pacific Coast Highway. It offers a laid-back vibe, making it a pleasant choice for surfers looking to escape the crowds.

The surf here can be quite variable, with sandbars creating small peaks that can reach up to about head high (around 2.4 meters). The best conditions are when it’s smallish and glassy, especially during medium to high tide. For those looking to get the best waves, the optimal swell direction is from the southwest, but you can also catch waves from the south and northwest. At Staircase Beach, the waves mostly break over sand, which makes it a beach break, and surfers can ride both left and right. It generally handles swell sizes around 1ft (about 0.3 meters), so it's not the place for big wave surfing, but it can be fun on the right day.

For the best surfing experience, pay attention to the wind direction; northeast winds are preferable here. With the combination of favorable conditions, it can be an enjoyable spot for those looking to relax and ride some mellow waves without the hassle of heavy crowds.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Staircase Beach

Latigo Canyon
California, United States
Point break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Point Dume
California, United States
Unknown break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Point Dume
California, United States
Point break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Point Dume State Beach/Westward Beach/Drainpipes
California, United States
Beach break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Zuma Beach County Park
California, United States
Beach break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Trancas Point
California, United States
Point break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Zero/Nicholas Canyon County Beach
California, United States
Point break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Leo Carrillo State Beach/Secos/Arroyo Sequit
California, United States
Reef break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Staircase Beach
California, United States
Beach break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
County Line/Yerba Buena Beach
California, United States
Reef break
Sun 17
Mon 18
Tue 19
Wed 20
Thu 21
Fri 22
Sat 23
Sun 24
Mon 25
Tue 26
Wed 27
Thu 28
Surfnerd Logo
Join Surfnerd+ and get:
  • Always fresh
    forecasts
    (vs 3-hour delay)
  • 12-day
    forecast range
    (vs 6-day)
  • 1-hour
    forecast steps
    (vs 3-hour)
  • Unlimited
    spot checks
    (vs 3/day)
"Great Forecasts. Nothing more, nothing less."
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.

Login to do spot actions

Readme

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

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.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

On the map, click a metric label to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

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
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm — the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

With Surfnerd, no more "you should have been here yesterday"