
Surf Forecasts:
Trestles (Uppers) surf forecast from 20 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: Sunday 26 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 19s period, SSW swell with 1,004 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s period with SSW 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 5s. 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 1.2m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 5AM. 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+) | 11PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Trestles (Uppers) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ our way.
Overall, the pattern for this 16-day stretch is a long, drawn-out run of small, marginal surf. There’s no real kicker in the first week, just a lot of knee- to waist-high slop with a constant cross-onshore wind keeping things bumpy. The standout period, if you could call it that, is the very end of the run – the first weekend of August. That’s where we see a bit more size, but it’s still not world-class.
Let’s start with what’s on offer. The first solid recommendation comes on Sunday, July 19th afternoon at Trestles (Uppers). It’s a reef and point break, and it’s very consistent. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the SW, with a 17-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell, which will give nice, lined-up waves peeling down the point, but only small ones. The water temp is 71°, which is a whopping 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s much warmer than normal, so you’ll be in a spring suit or maybe just a rashie. The wind is WSW at 6 mph, a light cross-on, which is a bit of a pain. The combined energy is weak, at 841 (moderate energy). It’s not great, but it’s a start.
Moving through Monday, July 20th, the morning is clean with a light onshore from the SW at 6 mph, but the swell is only 3 ft from the SSW. The afternoon picks up a touch to 3 ft from the SW, but the wind swings W at 6 mph, cross-on again. The level stays similar through Tuesday and Wednesday, with waist-high waves and constant light cross-onshore winds. The combined energy bounces between 464 and 862, all weak to moderate.
Thursday, July 23rd, shows a bump to 5 ft from the S, with a 13-second period. The morning is clean with a light onshore, but the afternoon gets a WNW cross-on at 9 mph, making it choppy. The energy hits 862, still moderate.
Now, Friday, July 24th – this is a bit of a tease. The morning has a tiny 2 ft swell, but look at the period: 24 seconds! That’s a very long-period groundswell, and the energy is 1154 (strong). This is the kind of set-up where the point at Trestles will produce some really long, clean walls, but the size is tiny. The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW at 9 mph. It’s a case of quality over quantity – you’ll be waiting for the sets, but the waves that come will be beautiful.
Saturday, July 25th, and Sunday, July 26th, see a similar pattern: 3 ft to 3 ft swells, long periods between 18 and 21 seconds, and light onshore winds. The energy is moderate to strong (711 to 1044). These are the days where the early morning glass-off might give you a few good ones, but the size is really small.
The best of the run, and the only true standout, is Saturday, August 1st. The swell jumps to 6 ft in the morning and 6 ft in the afternoon, both from the SSW. The period drops to 13-14 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period swell, but it has some punch. The wind is light cross-on in the morning and light onshore in the afternoon. The combined energy is high: 1090 in the morning and 1041 in the afternoon (strong). This is the biggest swell of the window. It’s over 5 ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s still manageable for intermediates. The crowd at Trestles is always a problem, so expect a packed lineup. This is the one to aim for, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.
After that, Sunday, August 2nd, it drops off a cliff. Swell is 4 ft but with a short 10-second period, and the wind is cross-on. The energy is weak (441). The conditions are poor, and it looks like a write-off. Monday, August 3rd, is even worse – tiny 2 ft to 3 ft surf with poor conditions. The run fizzles out completely.
So, the bottom line is: there’s a long, slow, marginal first week, a few days of small, long-period groundswell that are worth a look if you’re desperate, and then a brief window of more size on the first of August. After that, it’s dead. The break is a point, so those long-period days will give you some nice lines, but don’t expect much. Stay patient.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed morning, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 22°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 24 | S 13 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
424 | 532 | 298 | 367 | 334 | 715 | 474 | 559 | 400 | 325 | 316 | 673 | 653 | 555 | 563 | 483 | 664 | 584 | 445 | 863 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:45AM1.14m | 2:48PM1.44m | 3:09AM0.93m | 3:42PM1.45m | 5:11AM0.84m | 4:40PM1.47m | 7:14AM0.88m | 5:36PM1.51m | 8:16AM0.96m | 6:26PM1.57m | 8:48AM1.02m | 7:09PM1.64m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 11:48AM0.85m | 2:10AM0.05m | 12:47PM0.83m | 2:43AM-0.03m | |||||||
— | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 23 |
Feels °C | 24 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 6 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 19 |
407 | 532 | 235 | 231 | 334 | 715 | 474 | 559 | 400 | 325 | 64 | 673 | 653 | 555 | 522 | 483 | 411 | 380 | 228 | 863 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | W 5 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | S 10 | WNW 5 | S 9 | W 5 | W 6 | S 14 | S 12 | W 7 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 12 |
424 | 7 | 298 | 367 | 122 | 9 | 57 | 11 | 34 | 148 | 243 | 69 | 38 | 88 | 69 | 36 | 664 | 584 | 445 | 250 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | WNW 15 | W 5 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSE 14 | W 5 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 26 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SSW 24 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 |
10 | 42 | 8 | 35 | 175 | 40 | 4 | 21 | 30 | 22 | 316 | 50 | 171 | 171 | 563 | 368 | 42 | 57 | 38 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 86 | 3 | 86 | 17 | 0 | 83 | 86 | 86 | 83 | 86 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 15 | 83 | 86 | 27 | 83 | 86 | 0 |
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.










