Orange County, California
First light looks cleanest — 2-3+ft on SW swell at 8s with 7mph SSE winds.
First light looks cleanest — 2-3+ft on SW swell at 8s with 7mph SSE winds.
Best window·Sunday 11AM–2PM·4-6+ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Poche 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: 3–4ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SW swell at 9s with moderate SSE wind around 7mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Fri, Sep 4: 4–5ft, 18s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 18s with gentle ENE breeze. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 13s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SW and dropping conditions to fair - good.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–6+ft, 14s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 4-6+ft on S swell at 14s with gentle NW breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–6+ft, 13s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-6+ft waves on S swell at 13s with light winds out of the NW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and poor - fair by then.
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 Poche Beach turns Good.
Check Poche Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Poche Beach is a mellow sand-bottom beach break along Orange County's scenic coastline, offering accessible waves that work well for beginners and intermediate surfers. With its northeast-facing aspect, the beach captures south to southwest swells while benefiting from offshore northwest winds that groom the faces. The sandy bottom provides a forgiving surface for learning, making it a solid choice for those looking to progress their skills in a relaxed beach setting.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Poche Beach is 2-3+ft with a 5.6s swell period. Wind is SSE at 7mph. 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 Poche Beach is 2-3+ft, 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 Poche Beach is Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 6ft waves, a 13.9s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Poche Beach 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 Poche 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.
Poche Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Poche Beach is a mellow sand-bottom beach break along Orange County's scenic coastline, offering accessible waves that work well for beginners and intermediate surfers. With its northeast-facing aspect, the beach captures south to southwest swells while benefiting from offshore northwest winds that groom the faces. The sandy bottom provides a forgiving surface for learning, making it a solid choice for those looking to progress their skills in a relaxed beach setting.
The prime season at Poche 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 Poche Beach include occasional rip currents, crowded during summer weekends. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Poche 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).
