Orange County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Cottons, Orange County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 13s with gentle S breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 2-3ft and poor - fair conditions with moderate SSE wind around 12mph.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on W swell at 8s with 8mph SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with calm winds. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 10mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with barely a breath of wind. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 10mph.
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Cottons Point is the northernmost break in the Trestles complex, a fickle left-hand point break over cobblestone that transforms from a mushy, forgiving wall into a high-performance barrel wave during large, long-period south swells. Most days it's ideal for cutbacks and flow surfing; under the right conditions it produces some of the best lefts in Orange County. Less crowded than Lowers due to its fickleness.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Cottons is 2-3ft with a 15.3s swell period. Wind is S at 3mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Cottons is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 13s, a 1.2ft W secondary swell at 10s, a 1ft S 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 Cottons is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 12.75s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Cottons 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 Cottons. 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.
Cottons is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Cottons Point is the northernmost break in the Trestles complex, a fickle left-hand point break over cobblestone that transforms from a mushy, forgiving wall into a high-performance barrel wave during large, long-period south swells. Most days it's ideal for cutbacks and flow surfing; under the right conditions it produces some of the best lefts in Orange County. Less crowded than Lowers due to its fickleness.
The prime season at Cottons 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 Cottons include cobblestone bottom, strong currents, long walk in, crowds on good days. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Cottons 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
