Orange County, California
Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 6s with light winds out of the SSE.
Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 6s with light winds out of the SSE.
Best window·Sunday 1PM–4PM·4-6ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Church, 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, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on SW swell at 8s with light SSE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 18s and light winds out of the ENE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–5ft, 15s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on S swell at 13s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the W and dropping conditions to good.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–6ft, 14s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-6ft on S swell at 14s with gentle NW breeze. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–6ft, 13s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 4-6ft waves on S swell at 13s with gentle NW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when Church turns Good.
Check Church from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Church is the southernmost and most forgiving break in the Trestles complex, a cobblestone right-hand point break well-suited for longboarding and flow surfing. The slow, peeling waves and relatively mellow character make it the beginner-friendly entry point to the world-class Trestles surf zone. Located on the same cobblestone reef system formed by San Mateo Creek, it offers a mellower experience than the famous Lowers break to the north.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Church is 2-3ft with a 5.6s swell period. Wind is S at 6mph. Conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Church is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.1ft W wind swell swell at 6s, a 2ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, a 1.2ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s. 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 Church is Sunday from 1 PM to 4 PM with 5ft waves, a 13.7s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Church 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 Church. 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.
Church is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Church is the southernmost and most forgiving break in the Trestles complex, a cobblestone right-hand point break well-suited for longboarding and flow surfing. The slow, peeling waves and relatively mellow character make it the beginner-friendly entry point to the world-class Trestles surf zone. Located on the same cobblestone reef system formed by San Mateo Creek, it offers a mellower experience than the famous Lowers break to the north.
The prime season at Church is summer, 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 Church include cobblestone bottom, long walk in, crowds. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Church 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).
