Orange County, California
Not the most exciting day — 6-7ft and poor conditions with light NNE winds.
Not the most exciting day — 6-7ft and poor conditions with light NNE winds.
Best window·Tuesday 6AM–9AM·5-6+ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Trestles, Orange County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Mon, Sep 7: 6–7ft, 12s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 6-7ft on S swell at 12s with light NNE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, Sep 8: 5–6+ft, 11s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 5-6+ft on SSW swell at 11s with light winds out of the NW. The WNW wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph and poor by then.
Wed, Sep 9: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 10s with calm winds. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 7mph and fair by then.
Thu, Sep 10: 3–4+ft, 17s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4+ft on SSW swell at 17s with 7mph from the SE. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 11: 4–5ft, 16s period, rated Fair - Good. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on SSW swell at 16s and moderate SE wind around 11mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Regional Outlook
South Orange County
Tropical Storm Marie, well offshore of Baja, keeps a 10s south-southwest swell running early in the week. Tuesday is the pick — Fair in the morning before the cross-on wind arrives at midday. Cottons and Poche Beach rate Good Tuesday morning. From Thursday a 17s southwest groundswell takes over but cross-on wind holds the board at Poor, and Poche Beach and Cottons rate Good again Sunday morning.
Updated Sep 7, 5:47 PM
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Check Trestles from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Lower Trestles is one of the best waves in the world — a cobblestone point break that produces both rights and lefts off a perfectly defined peak. Selected as the 2028 LA Olympics surfing venue and longtime WSL Championship Tour stop. The wave is rippable and consistent but the crowd and competition-level lineup make it effectively advanced. The 15-minute walk from the parking lot is the only thing keeping numbers in check.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Trestles is 6-7ft with a 11.3s swell period. Wind is NNE at 6mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Trestles is 6-7ft, produced by a 5.8ft S primary swell at 11s, a 2.7ft WNW wind swell swell at 4s, a 0.7ft WSW tertiary swell at 9s. 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 Trestles is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 6ft waves, a 10.6s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Trestles works best with a SSW swell and ENE 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 Trestles. 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.
Trestles is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Lower Trestles is one of the best waves in the world — a cobblestone point break that produces both rights and lefts off a perfectly defined peak. Selected as the 2028 LA Olympics surfing venue and longtime WSL Championship Tour stop. The wave is rippable and consistent but the crowd and competition-level lineup make it effectively advanced. The 15-minute walk from the parking lot is the only thing keeping numbers in check.
The prime season at Trestles 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 Trestles include extreme crowds, high-performance lineup, cobblestone bottom, long walk in. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Trestles 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).
