Cottons Point Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.39° N 117.60° W

Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 05 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cottons Point sea temperature is
24.6° C
5.1° 

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 5 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★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 14s period with SW 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 (Aug 05) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 5s. 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 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 TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Wed 5th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 14s
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 Cottons Point over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for our local patch.

First off, the water temp at Cottons Point is sitting at a very unusual 76°, which is a whopping 9° warmer than it should be for this time of year. That’s a real standout, feels more like tropical bathwater than a typical August morning.

Right now, we’ve got a bit of a dry spell to kick things off. The forecast shows poor surf conditions straight through the first week with barely a ripple worth paddling for. Swell heights are tiny, mostly hovering around 2ft, and the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, keeping things choppy or just flat. The combined wave energy is moderate at best, with readings between 141 and 458 (moderate energy), but it’s all pretty weak and messy. No standouts here, just a lot of nothing.

As we move into the second week, there’s a glimmer of hope but it’s still marginal. Monday the 10th afternoon shows a brief flicker with a 2ft SW swell and a very long 20-second period, giving a combined energy of 388. The wind turns onshore with a light breeze, but it’s still only a 1 out of 10 quality call. That long period groundswell (over 15 seconds) means the waves will have real shape and energy, but at a point and reef like Cottons, it could line up nicely. Still, it’s a long way out and not solid.

The best of the bunch looks like Friday the 14th morning. We’ve got a 2ft SSW swell with a juicy 19-second period, combined wave energy climbing to 627 (moderate to strong). The wind is light and onshore from the WSW, which is about as clean as it gets here for the morning window. It’s still marginal, only a 2 out of 10 call, but compared to the rest of the fortnight, this is your best chance for a few lined-up sets that are rideable.

After that, the surf drops back to poor or marginal, with cross-on winds and chop ruining most of the afternoon sessions. Saturday the 15th afternoon sees swell bump up to 4ft but with a stiff 12 mph cross-on wind, it’ll be choppy and messy. That size is fine for intermediates but not worth the wind battle.

Overall, it’s a bleak stretch with no real standouts. The water is weirdly warm, but the surf just isn’t cooperating. Hang tight, check back on the 10th and 14th for that long-period pulse, but don’t clear your schedule.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat morning, min 22°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
SW
14
0.6
SW
14
0.6
SW
14
0.6
SW
13
0.6
SSW
13
0.4
SSW
18
0.7
SSW
19
0.6
SSW
19
0.8
SSW
18
0.8
SSW
17
0.8
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.5
SW
20
0.5
SW
19
0.5
SSW
13
0.6
SW
18
0.7
SW
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
162
127
160
113
114
126
329
243
348
340
295
397
309
305
297
207
186
184
95
252
316
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
15
W
5
W
10
SW
10
WSW
5
S
10
WSW
15
W
5
SW
10
WSW
15
W
0
S
10
SSW
10
WSW
5
SSE
15
S
10
SSW
5
SSE
10
SSW
10
SSW
5
S
Wind State
on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
High Tide
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
9:21AM1.31m
8:37PM2.07m
Low Tide
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
2:30PM0.50m
3:44AM-0.35m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:05
6:05
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:09
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:45
7:45
7:44
7:43
7:42
7:40
7:39
 mm
Temp °C
22
24
20
23
24
22
24
25
23
26
26
24
26
26
23
25
25
23
25
25
22
Feels °C
23
24
21
24
25
24
24
25
25
26
25
25
27
26
24
25
25
25
25
25
24
  • 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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