Orange County, California
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light SSE winds.
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light SSE winds.
Best window·Sunday 10AM–1PM·2-3+ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Surfside Jetty, 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: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s with gentle SSE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s with gentle SE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on S swell at 13s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the SW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3+ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Rideable all day with 2-3+ft waves on S swell at 14s and light WNW winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3+ft on SSW swell at 13s with gentle WNW breeze. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to very 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 Surfside Jetty turns Good.
Check Surfside Jetty from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Surfside Jetty is a sandy beach break in Orange County that benefits from the protective jetty structure, which helps shape and organize incoming swells into rideable waves. The spot works best during fall and winter swells when southern and southwestern Pacific swells wrap around the Southern California coast, creating consistent peaks along the sandy bottom. The relatively mellow conditions and beach break nature make this an accessible spot for developing surfers looking to practice their fundamentals in a forgiving environment.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Surfside Jetty is 1-2ft with a 5.3s swell period. Wind is SSE at 5mph. 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 Surfside Jetty is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.1ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.3ft SSW secondary swell at 11s, a 1ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s, a 0.6ft 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 Surfside Jetty is Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 3ft waves, a 13.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Surfside Jetty 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 Surfside Jetty. 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.
Surfside Jetty is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Surfside Jetty is a sandy beach break in Orange County that benefits from the protective jetty structure, which helps shape and organize incoming swells into rideable waves. The spot works best during fall and winter swells when southern and southwestern Pacific swells wrap around the Southern California coast, creating consistent peaks along the sandy bottom. The relatively mellow conditions and beach break nature make this an accessible spot for developing surfers looking to practice their fundamentals in a forgiving environment.
The prime season at Surfside Jetty 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 Surfside Jetty include jetty, crowded during swell, occasional strong currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Surfside Jetty 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).
