Surf Forecasts:
Cottons Point surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 493 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with S 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 Monday (Jul 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. 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 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cottons Point over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Cottons Point over the next couple of weeks.
To be straight with you, the outlook this week is a bit of a grind. We’ve got a run of poor to marginal conditions that stretches from Monday morning, July 13th, all the way through to the start of the following week. The wave heights are hanging around a tiny 1 ft to 3 ft, mostly from the SSW and SW, with cross-onshore winds messing up the surface. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate, sitting between 200 and 400 (moderate energy) for most of the early days, but it’s just not coming together. The only real standouts in the whole 16-day window are the Thursday and Friday of the 23rd and 24th of July. That’s when we finally see a pulse of S swell pushing 6 ft to 6 ft, and the combined energy jumps right up to around 1200 to 1368 (strong wave energy). That’s a proper groundswell, with a period of 14 seconds, which is long enough to give some real shape and power. For a reef and point break like Cottons Point, which is exposed to the SW swell direction, this S swell won’t be perfectly aligned, but it’ll still wrap in and offer some decent lines. The winds on the Thursday morning (July 23rd) are light offshore from the WSW, which is a major positive – that’s glassy, clean conditions. By Friday morning (July 24th), the wind swings cross-onshore from the W, which will chop it up a bit, but the swell will still be solid. The water is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, sitting at 69°F.
So, the best bet is the morning of Thursday, July 23rd. That’s your standout. Waves around 6 ft from the S, with that very light offshore breeze. It’s not huge, but it’s right in the sweet spot for intermediates. It’s a bit of a wait, but it’s the only proper window of quality we’ve got. Keep in mind, Cottons Point can get crowded sometimes, so get there early for the best of it. The rest of the period is mostly small or onshore, with a few days of marginal knee-high stuff. The swell tails off quickly after that Saturday, July 25th, back into the 2 ft to 3 ft range.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Thu morning, min 19°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 13 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 312 | 187 | 213 | 133 | 111 | 194 | 107 | 96 | 161 | 122 | 122 | 125 | 181 | 83 | 136 | 366 | 379 | 160 | 346 | 493 | 318 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 9:44AM1.17m | 8:43PM2.11m | 10:25AM1.23m | 9:32PM2.10m | 11:06AM1.29m | 10:19PM2.02m | 11:47AM1.34m | 11:06PM1.86m | 12:29PM1.38m | 11:54PM1.64m | 1:12PM1.41m | 00:44AM1.39m | 1:58PM1.43m | 1:45AM1.14m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:28PM0.60m | 4:07AM-0.47m | 3:20PM0.54m | 4:49AM-0.44m | 4:12PM0.50m | 5:29AM-0.35m | 5:04PM0.49m | 6:07AM-0.21m | 5:59PM0.50m | 6:44AM-0.03m | 7:01PM0.53m | 7:19AM0.16m | 8:13PM0.55m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — |
 | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:59 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 |
Feels °C | 23 | 24 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 7 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 13 | S 11 | S 12 | S 11 |
| kJ | 312 | 187 | 213 | 133 | 93 | 133 | 29 | 45 | 60 | 93 | 94 | 74 | 55 | 57 | 136 | 366 | 379 | 160 | 155 | 336 | 182 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 21 | SSW 13 | SW 19 | S 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 19 | SW 14 | W 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 18 | 120 | 133 | 76 | 111 | 194 | 67 | 83 | 161 | 122 | 122 | 107 | 181 | 74 | 23 | 13 | 7 | 127 | 346 | 493 | 318 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 19 | S 12 | SW 19 | S 12 | W 4 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 18 | S 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 13 | WNW 15 | WNW 15 |
| kJ | 12 | 59 | 25 | 58 | 47 | 6 | 107 | 96 | 73 | 48 | 47 | 125 | 74 | 83 | 22 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 130 | 42 | 42 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 9 | — | W 3 | W 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 3 | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 7 | — | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 87 | 87 | 8 | 87 | 87 | 0 | 82 | 87 | 65 | 82 | 82 | 4 | 87 | 87 | 4 | 67 | 87 | 21 | 87 | 87 | 87 |
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.
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