
Surf Forecasts:
Church surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with 438 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Church this week:
The surf forecast for Church over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Church in the next 16 days are 0.9m 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Church over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, church, let's get real for a sec. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and uninspiring. We’ve got a long stretch here with no real swell pushing in, and honestly, most of it is going to be a struggle just to find something rideable. Don't get your hopes up for any fireworks; it's more about making the most of small windows.
We’re starting off with nearly nothing. Tuesday the 4th through Thursday the 6th, the swell is tiny, around 2ft to 2ft, and the energy in the water is weak. You can see the combined energy values are low, mostly between 146 and 205. The winds are light, mostly offshore in the mornings, but with no real swell, it’s just not doing anything for us. The water is a balmy 76°, which is about 9° warmer than normal for this time of year. That's a big deal, so if you're paddling out, you won't need a thick suit.
Friday the 7th and the weekend of the 8th and 9th, we see a slight bump in period, with some longer period energy showing up (17-19 seconds), and the energy climbs to the 325-447 range. But the size stays small, around 2ft to 3ft. It's still marginal. The waves might have a bit more push to them, but it's not enough to get excited about. The mornings are looking cleaner with that offshore flow, but it's small, small, small.
Next week, from Monday the 10th through Wednesday the 13th, we’re still stuck in the same pattern. Swell heights hover around 2ft to 2ft, with moderate energy in the 257-428 range. We’ve got some light offshore winds in the mornings, but it’s still not offering up anything that would be considered “good.” It's a waiting game.
Now, here’s the one glimmer of hope in this whole forecast. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th show a bit more life. The swell starts to build a little, with the Friday morning seeing 2ft, but it's the afternoon that gets more interesting, jumping to 3ft and then to 4ft on Saturday morning. The combined energy jumps into the 592-795 range, which is a solid step up from the weak stuff we've been dealing with. The period is hanging around 16-19 seconds, which means it's got some proper groundswell character.
Now, the catch: the winds are going to be cross-on from the west, not the clean offshore we'd want. It's going to be a bit bumpy and choppy. Church is a beach and point setup, and with this kind of cross-on wind, it might get a little messy, especially on the beach. The point might offer some shelter, but it's not going to be perfect. This is the standout of the entire stretch, but it's not a no-brainer— the conditions will be challenging. For anyone not super comfortable in lumpy conditions, this might be a session for watching.
After that little pulse, we settle back down. From Sunday the 16th through to Wednesday the 19th, it's back to small surf, around 2ft to 3ft, with energy fading back to the 229-420 range. The winds stay mostly cross-on. It's just not doing much.
So here's the bottom line: if you're desperate for a wave, Saturday the 15th is your best bet, but it's not going to be a classic. The rest of the period is mostly small, weak surf with a lot of waiting around. Conditions like this can change, so it's worth keeping an eye on the charts, but for now, you might be better off finding something else to do.
Stay salty.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
116 | 107 | 104 | 162 | 127 | 160 | 113 | 114 | 126 | 329 | 243 | 348 | 340 | 295 | 397 | 309 | 305 | 297 | 207 | 186 | 184 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:29PM1.48m | 1:54AM0.95m | 2:22PM1.52m | 4:05AM0.83m | 3:33PM1.57m | 6:25AM0.88m | 4:49PM1.67m | 7:33AM1.00m | 5:58PM1.80m | 8:13AM1.11m | 6:57PM1.93m | 8:47AM1.21m | 7:49PM2.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:25PM0.49m | 7:15AM0.55m | 10:07PM0.40m | 7:58AM0.70m | 11:44PM0.22m | 9:36AM0.82m | 00:51AM0.02m | 11:25AM0.83m | 1:42AM-0.16m | 12:41PM0.74m | 2:27AM-0.29m | 1:39PM0.62m | 3:07AM-0.35m | ||||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 23 |
Feels °C | 24 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
116 | 107 | 104 | 162 | 127 | 160 | 113 | 114 | 84 | 329 | 111 | 348 | 340 | 295 | 397 | 309 | 305 | 297 | 207 | 139 | 137 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SW 12 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 12 | W 4 | W 5 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 4 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
9 | 36 | 8 | 7 | 34 | 4 | 8 | 79 | 126 | 114 | 243 | 124 | 69 | 114 | 118 | 3 | 42 | 42 | 106 | 186 | 184 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | S 10 | SW 12 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 12 | W 13 | W 5 | W 5 | W 12 | W 15 | S 9 | W 12 | W 13 | W 13 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 11 | SW 16 | W 12 |
35 | 18 | 40 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 13 | 72 | 71 | 12 | 39 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 9 | — | — | 8 | — | — | 8 | — | — | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 90 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 2 | 90 | 133 | 63 | 63 | 90 | 63 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Church Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Church provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Church can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Church surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Church) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Church may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Church is 7 km (4 miles) from San Clemente. If you plan a vacation in Orange County, look for hotels and other accommodation in San Clemente. San Clemente has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











