Orange County, California
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 11s with 7mph from the SE.
First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 11s with 7mph from the SE.
Best window·Sunday 11AM–2PM·4-6ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Strands Point, 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. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on SSW swell at 11s with 7mph SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Expect 3-4ft waves early on SSW swell at 18s.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–5ft, 15s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on S swell at 13s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to fair - good.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–6ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Hold off if you can — morning starts out fair - good with 4-6ft waves. Things come together by the afternoon with 4-6ft at fair - good.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–6ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 4-6ft waves on S swell at 13s and 8mph NW winds. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and very poor 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 Strands Point turns Good.
Check Strands Point from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Strands Point is a rocky point break in Orange County that peels consistently along its rocky bottom, offering fun, medium-length rides with a natural point formation that lines up well for autumn and winter swells. The break benefits from a south to south-southwest swell direction while westerly winds provide ideal offshore conditions, making it a solid alternative to more crowded nearby breaks. The rocky composition creates reliable wave shape and performance, though it requires some water sense navigating around the boulders and rocky outcrops.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Strands Point is 2-3ft with a 10.5s swell period. Wind is SE 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 Strands Point is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 11s, a 1.7ft W wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.1ft 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 Strands Point 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.
Strands Point 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 Strands Point. 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.
Strands Point is a point with a rock bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Strands Point is a rocky point break in Orange County that peels consistently along its rocky bottom, offering fun, medium-length rides with a natural point formation that lines up well for autumn and winter swells. The break benefits from a south to south-southwest swell direction while westerly winds provide ideal offshore conditions, making it a solid alternative to more crowded nearby breaks. The rocky composition creates reliable wave shape and performance, though it requires some water sense navigating around the boulders and rocky outcrops.
The prime season at Strands Point 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 Strands Point include rocks, rocky bottom, localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Strands Point 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).
