Orange County, California
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 6s and 8mph SSE winds.
Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 6s and 8mph SSE winds.
Best window·Sunday 12PM–3PM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at 54th St., Orange County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 6s and 8mph SSE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 5s with light S winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on S swell at 13s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Good. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 14s and light winds out of the WNW. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on SSW swell at 13s with gentle NW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the W and dropping conditions to very poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check 54th St. from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
54th St. is a user-friendly beach break in Orange County that catches consistent swell and offers approachable waves for developing surfers. With a northeast-facing exposure and sandy bottom, this spot produces forgiving, peeling waves that work well during Southern Hemisphere swell events and autumn swells. The relatively protected nature and gradual beach profile make it a popular choice for lessons and progression, though expect crowds during peak seasons and weekends.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at 54th St. is 2-3ft with a 5.3s swell period. Wind is SSE at 8mph. Conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at 54th St. is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.2ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.3ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, a 1ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s, a 0.6ft SSE wind swell swell at 2s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf 54th St. is Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 5ft waves, a 13.7s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
54th St. works best with a S swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at 54th St.. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
54th St. is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. 54th St. is a user-friendly beach break in Orange County that catches consistent swell and offers approachable waves for developing surfers. With a northeast-facing exposure and sandy bottom, this spot produces forgiving, peeling waves that work well during Southern Hemisphere swell events and autumn swells. The relatively protected nature and gradual beach profile make it a popular choice for lessons and progression, though expect crowds during peak seasons and weekends.
The prime season at 54th St. is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at 54th St. include crowds, swimmers, piers nearby. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our 54th St. forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
