Surf spot

Long Beach

Forecast conditions and map view for Long Beach in USA, California, LA County. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, LA County
Coordinates: 33.7436, -118.1183

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.9	1	1	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6
Wave direction	S	WSW	W	W	W	WSW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	WSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	WSW	WSW	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	WSW	W
Wave period (s)	8.9	7.1	5.2	5.3	5.7	7.6	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.2	6.2	6.2	6.2	6	6	6.3	6.7	6.7	7	6.9	7	9.8	9.7	9.5	11.3	10.4	10.9	12.3	12.3	12.4	12.3	12.2	11.8	11.8	11.8	11.8	11.8	11.7	11.6	11.5	11.4	9.8	9.7	9.7	9.7	11.2	8.8	6.8	7	4.8	5	5.2	7.3	7.3	7	5
Wave energy (kJ)	54	36	22	24	28	44	45	60	80	74	60	52	46	40	35	32	30	32	35	32	33	60	59	57	74	73	81	94	110	111	116	122	115	122	121	113	113	112	110	108	101	73	72	63	63	79	49	31	37	19	19	18	36	29	27	17
Wind speed (km/h)	8.6	6.7	8.4	11.7	15.5	13.3	10.2	10.9	12.8	15.8	18.1	17.6	21.1	15.9	11.8	14.2	15.6	17.1	13.8	15.3	17.5	15.3	11.4	9	7.6	9	6.9	13.1	16	14	10.4	7.9	5.2	5.8	6.2	10.5	15	14.6	10.2	7.4	4.4	4.5	3.1	7.5	15.3	15.3	9.7	7.2	9	9.4	6.6	10.9	14.8	13.5	8.6	9.2
Wind direction	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SSECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SSECross	SCross	SCross	SSECross	SSECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SSECross-off	SCross	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SCross	SSECross	SCross	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWGlassy	SSWGlassy	SWGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SCross-on	SCross	SSECross	SSECross-off	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on

Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California is a well-known urban surf zone on the open coast of Southern California, but it’s generally not a premier wave spot compared with places farther south or more exposed to deep-water swell. It’s best thought of as a fun, accessible, city surf break with a mix of beachbreak and harbor-influenced conditions.

Surf character

Break type: Mostly beachbreak with some man-made/harbor effects nearby.
Wave quality: Usually small to moderate, often softer and less powerful than Orange County or San Diego breaks.
Wave direction: Works best on south and southwest swells, with occasional winter swell energy.
Wind: Like much of LA County, it often likes light offshore or calm morning winds; afternoon onshores can make it choppy.
Tide sensitivity: Can be tide-dependent, with many sections working better at mid to lower tide depending on sandbars.

Conditions and hazards

Crowds: Can get busy, especially when conditions are good, due to its easy access and urban population.
Water quality: After rain, water quality can be a concern in parts of Long Beach and surrounding LA County beaches.
Sandbars: Shifting sandbars can make the wave inconsistent and change the lineup frequently.
Harbor influence: Nearby harbor structures and jetties can affect wave shape and currents.

Best for

Beginners and longboarders when surf is small and mellow.
Intermediate surfers looking for an easy local session.
Bodyboarders can also find fun sections on the better sandbars.

Overall

Long Beach surf is usually more about convenience and consistency of access than world-class wave quality. When swell, tide, and wind line up, it can offer fun, rideable beachbreak surf, but it’s typically a modest, urban surf destination rather than a destination for heavy or highly refined waves.