Orange County, California
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s with light winds out of the SSE.
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s with light winds out of the SSE.
Best window·Sunday 12PM–3PM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Bolsa Chica Jetties, 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. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with gentle SSE breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with light winds out of the SSW. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on S swell at 13s with barely a breath of wind. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Good. The sweet spot is around midday — 4-5ft waves, light winds out of the NW, good conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on SSW swell at 13s with light WNW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down 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 Jetties turns Good.
Check Bolsa Chica Jetties from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Bolsa Chica Jetties is a sandy beach break protected by rock jetties that create a natural amphitheater for wave formation along Orange County's coast. The jetties help shape and contain swells, producing consistent, mellow waves ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to practice fundamentals in a forgiving environment. This spot works best during fall and winter swells when southern and southwestern energy wraps into the break, offering fun, predictable conditions throughout the day.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Bolsa Chica Jetties 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 Jetties 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 Jetties is Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 4ft waves, a 13.7s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Bolsa Chica Jetties 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 Bolsa Chica Jetties. 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 Jetties is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Bolsa Chica Jetties is a sandy beach break protected by rock jetties that create a natural amphitheater for wave formation along Orange County's coast. The jetties help shape and contain swells, producing consistent, mellow waves ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to practice fundamentals in a forgiving environment. This spot works best during fall and winter swells when southern and southwestern energy wraps into the break, offering fun, predictable conditions throughout the day.
The prime season at Bolsa Chica Jetties 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 Jetties include jetty rocks, crowd during peak times, occasional strong rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Bolsa Chica Jetties 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).
