
Surf Forecasts:
Cottons Point surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SW 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 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s 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 22) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m 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 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 Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
| 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
G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at what’s on offer for Cottons Point over the next couple of weeks. Alright, the honest truth: this stretch ain’t lookin’ like a classic run. You’re gonna have to dig deep for the clean ones and most of the time, the conditions are just gonna be marginal. There are no proper standouts here, just a few windows where things get a little less ordinary. The water temp’s sittin’ at 74°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 7° above where it should be, so you can ditch the thick spring suit.
Right from the start on Wednesday the 22nd of July, it’s ordinary. We got a 3 ft swell from the SSW, but that 15 mph west wind is blowin’ cross-onshore and it’s choppy. Not worth paddlin’ out. That sets the tone for most of this week. Thursday the 23rd offers a tiny bit more hope with swell around 4 ft, but it’s still cross-onshore with that light breeze. The combined wave energy is moderate across these days, but the surface is just off.
Friday the 24th of July through the weekend keeps you guessin’. We get a little drop in swell – 2 ft to 3 ft – and the wind flips onshore at times, but the period jumps right up. On Friday mornin’ we’ve got a 24-second period swell and on Saturday mornin’ a 21-second period swell. That’s long period groundswell, and while it usually means better shaped waves, at a beach-and-reef setup like Cottons Point, it can be tricky – those long lines might just wall up and close out or run straight. Light winds those mornings but cross-onshore on Saturday afternoon. Hard to get excited.
The second week, from Tuesday the 28th of July, we get a few mornings with light onshore winds and swell around 4 ft to 4 ft from the SSW. The periods drop back to a more average 16 to 18 seconds. That Tuesday and Wednesday look the pick of the first week’s second half, with the wind shifting to onshore and light.
Now fast-forward to Friday the 31st of July afternoon – we finally see a bump in size. Swell pushes up to 6 ft from the S at 14 seconds. Wind’s light and onshore. That’s the first time the wave height breaks into a zone that’s not for beginners. Then Saturday the 1st of August morning, it’s 6 ft, S swell, 14 seconds, but the wind picks up to 20 mph from the WNW, cross-onshore and choppy. The afternoon’s even rougher. Not a good paddle.
By Sunday the 2nd of August, the size drops back to 5 ft to 5 ft with light onshore wind, but the energy’s fading. The rest of the run into the second week sees the swell shrink right back to 2 ft to 3 ft, and those cross-onshore winds keep the surface messy. On Thursday the 6th of August, we get another pulse: 6 ft to 6 ft S swell with 15-second period. Wind is cross-onshore at 15 mph, so again it’s a bit lumpy, but if you’re desperate, that afternoon might be the most surf you’ll see all fortnight.
Bottom line: no real standouts. The best of a messy bunch is the period from Tuesday the 28th to Wednesday the 29th of July mornings, with light onshore wind and some moderate swell, or the Friday 31st of July afternoon when it bumps up. But don’t expect perfection. This place is consistent, so it won’t stay this ordinary forever – forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 24 | SSW 13 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
437 | 394 | 400 | 475 | 339 | 345 | 563 | 125 | 664 | 664 | 527 | 863 | 863 | 635 | 719 | 926 | 1116 | 771 | 921 | 1020 | 818 | |
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 | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | cross |
High Tide | 4:40PM1.47m | 7:14AM0.88m | 5:36PM1.51m | 8:16AM0.96m | 6:26PM1.57m | 8:48AM1.02m | 7:09PM1.64m | 9:12AM1.07m | 7:47PM1.70m | 9:35AM1.11m | 8:23PM1.76m | 9:59AM1.15m | 8:55PM1.80m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:18AM0.71m | 00:41AM0.28m | 10:30AM0.81m | 1:32AM0.15m | 11:48AM0.85m | 2:10AM0.05m | 12:47PM0.83m | 2:43AM-0.03m | 1:32PM0.78m | 3:13AM-0.08m | 2:10PM0.72m | 3:42AM-0.12m | 2:46PM0.66m | 4:09AM-0.14m | |||||||
5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
— | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 24 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | W 7 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 |
437 | 394 | 114 | 475 | 339 | 345 | 304 | 46 | 664 | 664 | 527 | 863 | 863 | 635 | 719 | 926 | 1116 | 771 | 921 | 1020 | 818 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | S 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | W 6 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | W 7 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 7 | SW 12 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 |
32 | 203 | 400 | 123 | 96 | 102 | 80 | 125 | 183 | 145 | 29 | 145 | 91 | 33 | 91 | 84 | 22 | 69 | 25 | 25 | 24 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | SW 8 | S 13 | SW 18 | SW 26 | SW 26 | SW 24 | S 11 | W 7 | W 7 | S 10 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 10 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 10 | W 7 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 |
78 | 20 | 272 | 51 | 171 | 105 | 563 | 85 | 32 | 44 | 51 | 21 | 34 | 38 | 21 | 22 | 38 | 14 | 59 | 37 | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 87 | 87 | 4 | 87 | 87 | 0 | 87 | 87 | 0 | 82 | 87 | 0 | 82 | 82 | 15 | 82 | 135 | 0 | 82 | 87 | 21 |
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.










