Cottons Point surfForecast / CAL – Orange County / USA

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 10 pm Sunday 24 May 2026 PDT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Cottons Point surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Cottons Point sea temperature is
19.6° C
(Which is 3.2°C warmer than normal for this time of year)

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 Tuesday (May 26) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s. 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 1.1m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (May 31) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Tue 26th May)3.5ft (1.0m) 16s
Best Surf 8PM (Sun 31st May)3.5ft (1.0m) 19s
Most Powerful11PM (Sun 31st May)3.5ft (1.1m) 19s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
25
Tuesday
26
Wednesday
27
Thursday
28
Friday
29
Saturday
30
Sun
31
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
2
1
1
2
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
SW
14
0.9
SSW
17
1
SSW
17
1
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.4
SW
23
0.6
SSW
22
0.8
SSW
20
0.8
SSW
20
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
214
432
601
469
505
428
321
291
229
229
213
207
158
170
175
163
170
131
308
500
490
Wind (km/h)
10
WNW
15
W
20
W
5
WSW
15
SW
15
WSW
10
SW
20
SSW
20
W
10
W
10
WSW
20
W
10
WNW
15
WNW
20
W
5
SE
10
SSW
10
WSW
10
SE
10
SSW
10
SW
cross
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
High Tide
5:39AM1.11m
6:21PM1.52m
6:44AM1.07m
6:53PM1.61m
7:40AM1.05m
7:22PM1.66m
8:29AM1.04m
7:50PM1.70m
9:13AM1.03m
8:18PM1.72m
9:54AM1.02m
8:47PM1.72m
10:34AM1.01m
Low Tide
00:13AM0.42m
11:48AM0.24m
1:08AM0.24m
12:26PM0.34m
1:53AM0.09m
12:59PM0.43m
2:31AM-0.02m
1:29PM0.52m
3:05AM-0.10m
1:58PM0.58m
3:39AM-0.15m
2:28PM0.63m
4:13AM-0.17m
2:59PM0.67m
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:43
5:43
5:43
5:43
5:41
5:41
5:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:50
7:51
7:51
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:53
Temp °C
16
17
18
16
16
17
16
16
16
16
17
17
16
17
18
17
19
19
18
20
21
14
15
15
14
14
14
13
12
12
13
15
14
14
14
14
15
18
18
19
19
20
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
SW
14
0.9
SSW
17
1
SSW
17
1
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
1.2
W
7
1.5
W
8
0.8
SSW
14
0.9
W
6
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
W
7
0.6
W
7
0.7
W
9
1.2
W
9
1
W
11
Energy kJ
214
432
601
469
505
428
138
291
229
53
213
207
158
170
175
163
43
36
80
215
223
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SSW
18
0.3
S
10
0.2
S
10
0.5
W
4
0.6
W
6
0.7
W
6
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
0.1
W
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
W
6
0.2
WNW
11
0.6
W
4
0.2
WNW
16
0.2
WNW
16
0.6
W
5
0.7
SSW
14
0.5
SSW
13
0.6
SSW
22
0.8
SSW
20
0.8
SSW
20
Energy kJ
178
16
7
10
23
35
321
289
4
229
35
11
14
26
25
16
170
102
308
500
490
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
W
4
0.1
W
9
0.1
W
15
0.2
S
10
0.2
S
10
0.2
S
10
0.1
S
9
0.1
S
9
0.1
S
9
0.1
S
9
0.3
WNW
10
0.1
W
20
0.2
SSW
16
0.1
W
11
0.1
S
21
0.2
SSW
19
0.2
SSW
19
0.4
SW
23
0.4
SSW
18
0.4
SSW
16
0.5
SSW
16
Energy kJ
4
2
4
7
7
7
2
2
2
2
22
8
25
2
9
37
35
131
123
103
151
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
WNW
4
0.3
W
4
0.5
W
3
1.4
W
7
0.7
W
6
0.8
W
4
0.5
W
5
0.6
W
4
Energy kJ
4
3
6
184
36
26
11
9
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
2
4
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
3
3
2
Distance (km)
11
87
87
0
87
1100
82
88
562
87
87
150
11
87
87
0
82
87
4
65
150
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
4
3
9
7
4
4
4
4
4
2
4
4
3
4
2
1
4
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
5
4
9
9
6
9
9
6
9
8
6
5
5
5
5
5
7
7
5
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Cottons Point:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Cottons Point surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest