Cottons Point Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.39° N 117.60° W

Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 pm 27 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cottons Point sea temperature is
22.7° C
3.4° 

Cottons Point surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cottons Point surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 17s period, SSW swell with 1,120 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period with SSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cottons Point this week:

The surf forecast for Cottons Point over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cottons Point in the next 16 days are 1.4m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Wed 29th Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 16s
Best Surf 2AM (Fri 31st Jul)5ft (1.6m) 14s
Most Powerful 2PM (Tue 28th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 17s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cottons Point over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Lookin' at the charts for the next couple of weeks, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a bit of a slow grind. The first few days have some rideable stuff, but then it really drops off into a long, quiet spell. Let's get into it.

The action starts on Tuesday, July 28th, at Cottons Point. We've got a solid 4ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a very long 17-second period. The energy is pumping at (1064), so there's some serious push behind it. That long period means the waves will have shape and power, but it can also make them a bit fat and straight on a beach break. For a reef and point like Cottons, it should be a good thing. The wind is a cross-onshore at 9 mph, so it's a little bumpy, but it's not wrecking it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there.

Wednesday the 29th sees the swell drop a touch to 4ft, but the period is still a solid 16 seconds. The morning is a bit messy with that cross-onshore breeze, but the afternoon looks better – the wind goes light onshore at 6 mph, and the wave energy is still strong at (1044). Thursday hangs around the 4ft mark, but the period drops to 13 seconds, and the wind turns more cross-onshore. It'll be a bit junky, but there's still a wave to be had. Friday, July 31st, the swell picks back up to 5ft in the morning, same S swell with a 13-second period, but again, the wind is a factor. It's doable, not perfect.

Honestly, the best of this first run is probably Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday afternoon. The swell is a solid size, the period is long, and the wind is lightest then. Cottons Point is a consistent spot, so it'll be breaking, but with the crowds being "sometimes," you might find a bit of company. This is an intermediate-sized wave, so it's a fun paddle for the experienced crew.

Now, from Saturday, August 1st, it all goes pear-shaped. The swell drops from 4ft down to 2ft by Sunday, and the energy numbers crash from 480 down to 211. The wave comment turns to "poor surf conditions," and we get a score of 0. That's a hard stop. This quiet spell rolls right through the entire first week of August. From August 1st all the way until August 11th, it's just tiny, weak waves – 1ft to 3ft, and mostly onshore wind. A couple of days in the second week, like August 8th and 9th, flirt with 3ft, but the energy is still weak and the conditions are poor. It's a blank run, and for this area, that's not unusual when the swell windows shut.

The only glimmer at the very end of the outlook is on August 12th, a Wednesday. We get a small pulse of 2ft SW swell with a very long period of 18 seconds. The energy number comes back up to 447. But it's still a small wave, and the wind is a cross-onshore at 9 mph. It's a long way off, so don't hold your breath.

So, to sum it up: get on it Tuesday the 28th or Wednesday the 29th for the best chance at a decent wave. After that, it's a long wait of over a week with hardly anything worth paddling for. The forecasts can change, but right now, it looks like a good time to wax the board and get it ready, because you'll have plenty of time.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Thu morning, min 20°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
3
1
3
3
1
1
4
1
1
3
2
0
1
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
SSW
17
1.3
SSW
17
1.3
SSW
17
1.3
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1.2
SSW
16
1
SSW
16
1.2
S
13
1.1
SSW
15
1.6
S
14
1.6
S
13
1.5
S
13
1.4
SSW
12
1.3
SSW
13
1.2
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
10
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
13
0.5
SW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
771
1009
1020
938
612
724
499
503
558
1063
892
812
558
522
433
152
89
88
83
Wind (km/h)
5
SE
15
SSW
10
SW
10
SE
15
S
10
SW
5
SSE
10
WSW
10
WSW
5
S
10
WSW
10
WSW
5
WNW
10
WSW
10
WSW
5
SSE
10
SSW
15
SSW
10
SSE
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
on
cross
cross-on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
High Tide
8:23PM1.76m
9:59AM1.15m
8:55PM1.80m
10:24AM1.19m
9:27PM1.80m
10:49AM1.24m
9:59PM1.76m
11:17AM1.29m
10:31PM1.68m
11:45AM1.34m
11:06PM1.55m
12:14PM1.39m
11:46PM1.37m
Low Tide
3:42AM-0.12m
2:46PM0.66m
4:09AM-0.14m
3:21PM0.61m
4:36AM-0.13m
3:58PM0.58m
5:03AM-0.09m
4:35PM0.55m
5:29AM-0.02m
5:17PM0.54m
5:54AM0.09m
6:05PM0.53m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:00
6:00
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:52
7:52
7:51
7:51
7:50
7:49
 mm
Temp °C
21
24
24
21
24
24
21
25
25
22
25
26
23
26
27
23
26
25
22
Feels °C
24
24
25
22
24
24
23
25
25
24
26
26
24
27
27
25
27
25
23
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Cottons Point Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Cottons Point provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cottons Point can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cottons Point 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 (Cottons Point) 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 Cottons Point 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.

Cottons Point is 5 km (3 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.

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