
Surf Forecasts:
Cottons Point surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 14s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, SSW swell with 1,748 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 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 Friday (Sep 04) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 2.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cottons Point over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break it down for Cottons Point.
The opening days of the 16-day window are a bit of a tease. Friday morning (September 4th) has some waist-high, 3ft swell from the SSW, but the conditions are marginal and the first morning already has a "questionable" feel to it. The combined energy reading of 680 (moderate) is there, but the wind is only light and onshore, and the water is much warmer than normal at 75°F—a massive 7°F anomaly for this time of year, which is very unusual.
The real standout, the one that’s got my heart pumping, is Sunday morning (September 6th). The swell jumps to 6ft from the S, with a 14-second period, giving it a solid groundswell feel. The combined energy hits 1332 (strong), and the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. That’s the cleanest slot in the entire window, and the commentary says conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is the best on offer.
Cottons Point is a reef and point setup, so that long-period, S swell will wrap in nicely. Keep in mind the swell size is 6ft, which is getting a bit big for beginners, but it’s a prime mark for intermediates and up. The optimum swell direction is from the SW, and while this is S, it’s close enough to get the job done. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so don’t expect solitude.
After Sunday, the week gets messy. Monday (September 7th) still has some size, 7ft to 7ft, but the wind turns cross-onshore and swings to a moderate breeze (20 km/h), making it choppy. Tuesday (September 8th) drops a touch in size to 6ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore and light, so you’ll get some ripples on the surface. By Wednesday and Thursday (September 9th and 10th), the swell drops below 4ft and the energy fades.
From Friday (September 11th) onwards, we hit a rough patch. The swell drops to 3ft and below, and the combined energy readings fall into the two-digit ranges (weak to moderate). The wind is often cross-onshore and moderate, making for poor conditions. This flat spell lasts through the second week, with only a few marginal mornings showing 2ft to 3ft swells. The energy stays low, well under 600, and the period is long but the swell is too small to do much.
The very end of the window, on Saturday (September 19th), shows a slight tick up to 3ft from the SW with an 18-second period, and the combined energy is 602. It’s marginal, but a glimmer of hope.
So, the call is simple: if you want to paddle out, aim for Sunday morning (September 6th). That’s the cleanest, most powerful window. The rest of the run is a mixed bag of marginal conditions and small, choppy surf. The blank run from the middle of the second week is pretty normal for an area that needs a solid swell to light up.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 25°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Wed afternoon, min 24°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 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) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
587 | 559 | 620 | 512 | 666 | 957 | 1298 | 1505 | 838 | 1581 | 1609 | 1036 | 938 | 838 | 504 | 245 | 278 | 419 | 560 | 508 | 483 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 3:06PM1.55m | 6:58AM1.01m | 4:42PM1.62m | 7:24AM1.14m | 5:56PM1.74m | 7:51AM1.26m | 6:54PM1.85m | 8:19AM1.38m | 7:43PM1.91m | 8:47AM1.49m | 8:28PM1.91m | 9:17AM1.59m | 9:10PM1.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:34PM0.14m | 10:07AM0.94m | 00:38AM-0.01m | 11:51AM0.84m | 1:25AM-0.13m | 12:54PM0.67m | 2:04AM-0.19m | 1:43PM0.49m | 2:39AM-0.20m | 2:28PM0.34m | 3:11AM-0.15m | 3:10PM0.23m | 3:40AM-0.05m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
— | 7:12 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 |
Feels °C | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 10 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
587 | 559 | 620 | 462 | 599 | 957 | 1298 | 1505 | 838 | 1581 | 1609 | 1036 | 938 | 838 | 504 | 245 | 267 | 134 | 560 | 508 | 483 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WSW 11 | SW 20 | W 11 | SSW 15 | — | — | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 10 |
78 | 148 | 253 | 512 | 666 | 45 | 15 | 36 | 596 | — | — | 8 | 80 | 81 | 130 | 214 | 278 | 419 | 97 | 62 | 148 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | S 10 | W 13 | — | W 12 | — | — | — | — | SW 21 | SW 21 | W 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 11 |
15 | 78 | 75 | 66 | 70 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 18 | 2 | 96 | 29 | 81 | 47 | 53 | 39 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | W 10 | NW 4 | W 11 | W 10 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | — | W 3 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | WNW 4 | W 4 | WNW 3 | WNW 4 |
— | 8 | — | — | — | — | 49 | 12 | 36 | 17 | 10 | 9 | — | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 87 | 87 | 0 | 87 | 87 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 87 | 87 | 0 | 87 | 87 | 11 | 87 | 87 | 0 | 87 | 87 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










