Surf Forecasts:
Trestles (Lowers) surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SSW swell with 683 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s period with SSW 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) 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+) | 2AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Trestles (Lowers) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your board and let’s get straight into it. The next couple of weeks are gonna have their moments, but mostly it's about picking your window. It’s not gonna be all-time, but there’s a real pulse of energy coming through further down the line.
Right now, for the next week or so, we’re looking at small, weaker southwest groundswell. It’s pretty gutless honestly. The water is sitting at 74°, which is a solid 6° warmer than what’s normal for this time of year—that’s a big deal, the water's feeling like a bathtub out there. For the first few days, we got a gentle cross-onshore breeze messing with things, so surfaces are gonna be a bit lumpy and chopped up. There’s some rideable stuff, but nothing to get too excited about—waves in the 3ft to 4ft range with a 16-second period, plenty of energy in the water but the shape is suffering. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are looking pretty marginal, not worth rushing out for unless you’re desperate for a paddle.
Then we hit a bit of a flat spot. From Monday the 17th through to the end of the week, the swell just fades away. We're talking 2ft to 3ft junk, with short, weak periods. The winds stay light and mostly onshore or cross-onshore. It’s a tough stretch—a real lull. You’d be better off tuning up your gear, because there’s just no push.
But hold on, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Mark your calendars for Saturday the 22nd. It’s still small, but we might get a brief glassy window in the afternoon with the wind dropping to nothing. The swell’s still tiny, around 3ft, but that clean, glassy surface could make it worth a quick session if you’re jonesing for a grovel on the longboard.
After that, the ocean takes another little breath before the real energy shows up. The beginning of the second week, the 23rd and 24th, are still small and uninviting. But then, from Monday the 25th on, things start to get proper interesting. A solid pulse of south swell is forecast to push through. We’re talking the swell size jumping to 4ft on the Monday and then up to 5ft to 6ft by mid-week. The energy reading is gonna spike too, hitting the 1600s, which is a huge jump from the weak 200-300s we had earlier. That’s a real injection of power.
The standout window looks like Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th. That’s when you want to be at Trestles (Lowers). The swell is going to be in that fun size range—5ft to 6ft from the south—and the winds look light, which will keep the place manageable compared to what the low tides usually do to it. This is the best bet of the whole period. Just remember, it’s a long-period groundswell for sure, over 15 seconds, and that kind of swell can sometimes run a bit straight at a beach break, but Lower Trestles is a right-hander over a rivermouth and reef, so it should really hold that energy and line up nicely. It’s a magnet for that direction, too. Expect crowds because it's always packed there, but for good reason.
After that pulse, things start to settle again. The 27th and 28th will still have some fun-sized swell, 5ft to 6ft dropping down, but the winds start to get a bit more cross-on and the energy is fading. It’s still worth a paddle, but the magic of the 25th and 26th will be gone. The last couple of days of the month just look average again, with fading swell and light onshore winds.
So, to keep it simple: the first week is mostly a skunk, save for a possible glassy grovel on the 22nd. The real show is Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th with a solid pulse of south groundswell. It’s not going to be perfect, but it’s the clear best stretch on the charts. Keep an eye on the forecasts as we get closer, but that’s your window.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
417 | 683 | 666 | 499 | 443 | 367 | 330 | 264 | 257 | 232 | 240 | 272 | 377 | 387 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 173 | 156 | 99 | 98 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:37AM1.55m | 11:31PM1.52m | 12:11PM1.55m | 00:18AM1.28m | 12:47PM1.51m | 1:15AM1.05m | 1:28PM1.45m | 2:46AM0.87m | 2:22PM1.40m | 3:41PM1.37m | 8:16AM0.98m | 5:05PM1.40m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 5:38PM0.33m | 5:51AM0.17m | 6:30PM0.37m | 6:17AM0.37m | 7:30PM0.43m | 6:40AM0.56m | 8:50PM0.46m | 6:55AM0.73m | 10:43PM0.43m | 00:16AM0.32m | 9:51AM0.97m | 1:08AM0.21m | |||||||||
6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 25 |
Feels °C | 22 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
417 | 683 | 666 | 499 | 443 | 367 | 330 | 264 | 69 | 80 | 47 | 272 | 377 | 387 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 173 | 156 | 99 | 98 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | W 11 | W 5 | W 5 | S 10 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 5 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | W 4 |
191 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 24 | 63 | 257 | 232 | 240 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 81 | 51 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 11 | S 11 | S 10 | W 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 19 | SW 20 | W 14 | SW 18 | SW 19 | WSW 19 | WNW 12 | S 10 | SW 18 | SSW 16 |
2 | 10 | 20 | 19 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 114 | 98 | 15 | 16 | 4 | 13 | 57 | 35 | 14 | 7 | 49 | 51 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | WSW 11 | — | W 5 | W 5 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | W 6 | — |
58 | 79 | — | 13 | 20 | — | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 9 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 85 | 85 | 13 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 83 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 0 |
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.











