Orange County, California
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s and gentle SSE breeze.
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s and gentle SSE breeze.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Bolsa Chica for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Bolsa Chica, 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: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s and gentle SSE breeze. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 13mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on S swell at 13s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Midday is the call — 1-2ft waves with light NW winds and poor - fair conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 13s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 13s with gentle WNW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Bolsa Chica turns Good.
Check Bolsa Chica from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Bolsa Chica is a long, sandy beach break in Orange County that offers mellow, rolling waves ideal for learning and progression. The consistent beachbreak setup produces forgiving waves across a wide stretch of beach, making it accessible for surfers of all levels. The proximity to urban Orange County and quality sand banks create a popular but crowded local scene, especially on weekends and during swell season.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Bolsa Chica is 1-2ft with a 5.3s swell period. Wind is SSE at 3mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Bolsa Chica is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.1ft 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 Bolsa Chica is Saturday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 2ft waves, a 13s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Bolsa Chica works best with a SSW 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 Bolsa Chica. 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.
Bolsa Chica is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Bolsa Chica is a long, sandy beach break in Orange County that offers mellow, rolling waves ideal for learning and progression. The consistent beachbreak setup produces forgiving waves across a wide stretch of beach, making it accessible for surfers of all levels. The proximity to urban Orange County and quality sand banks create a popular but crowded local scene, especially on weekends and during swell season.
The prime season at Bolsa Chica 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 Bolsa Chica include heavy crowds, localism, swimmers and beach users. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Bolsa Chica 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).
