Surf Forecasts:
Trestles (Lowers) surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 17s period, SSW swell with 807 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Trestles (Lowers) this week:
The surf forecast for Trestles (Lowers) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Trestles (Lowers) in the next 16 days are 1.2m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Trestles (Lowers) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Trestles (Lowers). It’s a classic setup, a beach and reef, very consistent, and it loves a good SW swell, which is exactly what we’re seeing. The water is sitting at a balmy 75° which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, so you can leave the thick rubber at home.
Right now, we’re in a bit of a flat spell. There’s no real surf to speak of until the afternoon of Wednesday the 12th, and even then, it’s a tough sell. We’ve got a weak 2ft SW groundswell with a super long 16-second period, but the wind is a cross-on from the WSW at 9 mph, making it choppy. The combined energy is only 358 (weak), and the conditions are just poor. Honestly, that first afternoon is a no-go.
Thursday the 13th through to Monday the 17th is a long stretch of marginal to poor conditions. The swell bumps up a little, with a peak on the afternoon of Friday the 14th showing 3ft from the SSW with a 18-second period, pushing the combined energy into the moderate range (684). But the wind is a problem – it’s either onshore or cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. The wave comment consistently says “marginal” or “poor.” It’s not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate for a saltwater rinse.
There’s a real gap here. The next couple of days are a write-off, with the same story of onshore winds and small swell. The combined energy drops to 199 (weak) by the afternoon of Friday the 21st. The surf is just too small and blown out.
Then we get a flicker of hope. It’s not until Tuesday the 25th that we see something interesting. Tuesday morning is still poor, but the afternoon... look out. The wind swings around to the NW at a glassy 3 mph. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” The swell is 2ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and even though it’s small, that glassy wind will make it absolutely pristine. The combined energy is 305 (weak), but for a clean, tiny wave, it’s a go. This is the standout moment for the whole forecast – a true, clean, conditions-based gem.
Wednesday the 26th is a bit of a letdown after that. The morning is marginal with cross-on wind, and the afternoon shows a slightly bigger 3ft SW swell with a 16-second period and a combined energy of 516 (moderate), but the wind is from the WSW at 3 mph, making it a light cross-on. It’s okay, but not as good as Tuesday.
The last blip of potential is Thursday the 27th in the morning. The swell is 2ft from the SW, a 17-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 709 (moderate). The wind is light and onshore from the SSW, so it’s a bit of a gamble with the tide. The wave comment is still “marginal.” The afternoon on the 27th gets blown out again by a moderate breeze.
So, the best bet across the whole 16 days is hands down the afternoon of Tuesday the 25th. It’s small, but it’s going to be clean and glassy at Trestles (Lowers). The other days are mostly a struggle against the wind. Keep your eyes on that Tuesday window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 19°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Tue morning, min 20°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
264 | 306 | 255 | 358 | 280 | 302 | 404 | 807 | 417 | 683 | 666 | 499 | 443 | 367 | 367 | 264 | 257 | 232 | 240 | 272 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross |
High Tide | 9:22PM2.03m | 10:28AM1.47m | 10:06PM1.92m | 11:02AM1.53m | 10:48PM1.74m | 11:37AM1.55m | 11:31PM1.52m | 12:11PM1.55m | 00:18AM1.28m | 12:47PM1.51m | 1:15AM1.05m | 1:28PM1.45m | 2:46AM0.87m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:17PM0.40m | 4:19AM-0.29m | 4:04PM0.34m | 4:52AM-0.17m | 4:50PM0.32m | 5:23AM-0.01m | 5:38PM0.33m | 5:51AM0.17m | 6:30PM0.37m | 6:17AM0.37m | 7:30PM0.43m | 6:40AM0.56m | 8:50PM0.46m | |||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 23 |
Feels °C | 23 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 15 |
264 | 306 | 255 | 358 | 280 | 255 | 404 | 807 | 417 | 683 | 666 | 499 | 443 | 367 | 367 | 264 | 73 | 42 | 44 | 272 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SSW 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 14 | S 11 | W 5 | W 6 | S 10 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | W 9 |
61 | 42 | 62 | 61 | 53 | 302 | 214 | 67 | 191 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 63 | 257 | 232 | 240 | 36 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | S 12 | SW 12 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | W 11 | S 11 | W 11 | S 11 | S 11 | W 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 19 |
33 | 27 | 23 | 44 | 149 | 37 | 66 | 2 | 37 | 2 | 20 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 114 | 98 | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 8 | — | — | — | W 4 | W 5 | W 5 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | 5 | 7 | 8 | — | — | 22 | — | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 207 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 13 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 83 | 85 | 64 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Trestles (Lowers) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Trestles (Lowers) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Trestles (Lowers) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Trestles (Lowers) 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 (Trestles (Lowers)) 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 Trestles (Lowers) 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.
Trestles (Lowers) is 6 km (4 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.











