
Surf Forecasts:
Trestles (Uppers) surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SSW swell with 859 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Trestles (Uppers) this week:
The surf forecast for Trestles (Uppers) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Trestles (Uppers) in the next 16 days are 1.3m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 12s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Trestles (Uppers) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for us over the next couple of weeks.
First off, I gotta be straight with you – the next week or so is looking pretty average. The surf is there, but it’s not exactly firing on all cylinders. We’re looking at a lot of marginal conditions, with a persistent onshore or cross-onshore wind messing up the surface. Most of the time, the swell is small, and the energy is just okay. The real standout doesn’t show up until the very end of July and into the first day of August.
Let’s start with the early window. Trestles (Uppers) is a reef and point setup, and it’s very consistent, but it’s not going to be at its best. The weekend of the 18th and 19th is pretty much a write-off. We’ve got small swell, around 2 ft to 4 ft, with a long period of 18 seconds from the SW, but the wind is on it or cross-on, and the wave comment is poor or marginal. The combined energy is moderate though, ranging from 364 to 829 – it’s not a complete flat spell, but the quality is just not there.
Monday the 20th through Wednesday the 22nd is a bit of a grind. Swell stays small, mostly around 3 ft from the SSW, with periods around 14-16 seconds. The wind is cross-on, and the conditions are “fairly choppy” or even “choppy” by Wednesday afternoon. The energy is moderate, dropping from 592 down to 358. Honestly, on Wednesday the 22nd, with that 15 mph cross-on wind and small 3 ft swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th, we see a little bump. The swell picks up to 4 ft-5 ft from the S and SSW, with periods around 13 seconds. The energy jumps into the strong range – 1291 on Friday morning. But the wind is still cross-on or onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy. It’s a tease, really.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout, the one you want to circle on your calendar, is Sunday the 26th of July and Monday the 27th. The swell drops a bit in height, averaging 3 ft to 5 ft, but the period stretches out to a very long 18-19 seconds from the SSW. This is proper groundswell. The energy is strong, hitting between 1219 and 1586 – that’s serious power. And the wind? Light and onshore, but it’s a light breeze, which means it’s glassy. For a point and reef break like Uppers, that long period will wrap in beautifully, even if it’s a bit straight for a beach break. This is the best on offer – clean, powerful, and lined up. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
The morning of Monday the 28th is a bit of a letdown with some clouds and a cross-on wind, but the afternoon of the 28th and the 29th bounce back. We’ve got 4 ft-5 ft of swell from the SSW, period around 16-17 seconds, and light onshore wind. The energy is strong (1499 to 1592), and the wave comment is marginal, but it’s still a solid option, especially the 28th afternoon.
After that, the 30th and 31st see the wind turn back to a cross-on direction, and the size drops a bit. The energy also fades, falling back to moderate levels (719 down to 435). It’s still surfable, but it’s not the glassy, punchy stuff from the end of the week.
The very last day, Sunday the 2nd of August, is a flat end. Swell is just 2 ft, with a long period of 18 seconds, but the energy is weak (324) and the conditions are poor. It’s a no-go.
So, to wrap it up: the first week is a struggle with small, wind-affected waves. The clear standout is the Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th of July at Trestles (Uppers). That’s your window for clean, long-period groundswell with glassy conditions. The early part of the next week, the 28th and 29th, is also a decent backup. After that, the quality drops off again. Keep an eye on the long-range stuff, but it’s a bit less certain.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 20°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue morning, min 21°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 11 | S 13 | SW 17 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
137 | 366 | 255 | 146 | 395 | 424 | 522 | 344 | 362 | 334 | 827 | 434 | 474 | 400 | 325 | 316 | 356 | 581 | 563 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:54PM1.64m | 1:12PM1.41m | 00:44AM1.39m | 1:58PM1.43m | 1:45AM1.14m | 2:48PM1.44m | 3:09AM0.93m | 3:42PM1.45m | 5:11AM0.84m | 4:40PM1.47m | 7:14AM0.88m | 5:36PM1.51m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:44AM-0.03m | 7:01PM0.53m | 7:19AM0.16m | 8:13PM0.55m | 7:54AM0.37m | 9:43PM0.52m | 8:31AM0.55m | 11:24PM0.42m | 9:18AM0.71m | 00:41AM0.28m | 10:30AM0.81m | 1:32AM0.15m | |||||||
— | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 11 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 |
137 | 366 | 255 | 146 | 395 | 400 | 522 | 244 | 235 | 334 | 827 | 434 | 474 | 400 | 325 | 316 | 356 | 581 | 563 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | S 12 | S 12 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | W 5 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | S 10 | WNW 5 | S 9 | SSW 9 | W 6 | S 13 | W 5 | SSW 14 | WSW 6 | W 6 |
21 | 99 | 98 | 91 | 338 | 424 | 5 | 344 | 362 | 125 | 5 | 59 | 59 | 23 | 87 | 29 | 161 | 25 | 73 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 13 | WNW 15 | W 6 | WNW 15 | W 5 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSE 14 | SW 12 | W 5 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | S 12 | SW 7 | SW 26 | SW 18 |
40 | 11 | 11 | 44 | 45 | 5 | 42 | 4 | 35 | 172 | 40 | 65 | 11 | 36 | 14 | 112 | 11 | 171 | 49 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 4 | — | — | W 5 | WNW 5 | W 6 | WNW 6 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 19 | 40 | 32 | 33 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 64 | 88 | 86 | 20 | 86 | 86 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 86 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Trestles (Uppers) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Trestles (Uppers) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Trestles (Uppers) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Trestles (Uppers) 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 (Uppers)) 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 (Uppers) 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 (Uppers) 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.










