Orange County, California
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 11s with 9mph SSE winds.
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 11s with 9mph SSE winds.
Best window·Sunday 11AM–2PM·2-3+ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Morro Beach, 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. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 11s and 9mph from the SSE. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 18s and light E winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on S swell at 13s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3+ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on S swell at 14s with light winds out of the WNW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 13s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3+ft on S swell at 13s with gentle NW breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to 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 Morro Beach turns Good.
Check Morro Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Morro Beach in Orange County offers accessible sandy bottom waves that roll in with a northeast-facing exposure, making it ideal for learning and improving fundamentals. The beach break produces forgiving, peeling waves that work best during southern hemisphere swells combined with offshore northwest winds. This Orange County gem attracts a mix of locals and visitors seeking quality waves without the intensity of nearby point breaks.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Morro Beach is 1-2ft with a 10.4s swell period. Wind is SSE at 7mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Morro Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 10s, a 1.7ft W wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.2ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s, a 1ft 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 Morro Beach is Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 3ft waves, a 13.9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Morro Beach 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 Morro Beach. 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.
Morro Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Morro Beach in Orange County offers accessible sandy bottom waves that roll in with a northeast-facing exposure, making it ideal for learning and improving fundamentals. The beach break produces forgiving, peeling waves that work best during southern hemisphere swells combined with offshore northwest winds. This Orange County gem attracts a mix of locals and visitors seeking quality waves without the intensity of nearby point breaks.
The prime season at Morro Beach 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 Morro Beach include beach crowds during summer, shorebreak closeouts on larger swells. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Morro Beach 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).
