Orange County, California
head high to a foot overhead
Best window·Tuesday 6AM–9AM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Upper 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: 5–6+ft, 12s period, rated Poor - Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 5-6+ft on S swell at 12s with barely a breath of wind. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Tue, Sep 8: 4–6ft, 11s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 4-6ft 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, 9s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 9s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 7mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Thu, Sep 10: 3–4ft, 17s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 17s with 7mph SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 11: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on SSW swell at 16s with 11mph SE winds. 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 Upper Trestles from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Upper Trestles is the winter-wave counterpart to Lowers, producing a longer, steeper right-hander off the same cobblestone reef deposited by San Mateo Creek. It draws in W and NW swells that Lowers misses, making it a prime option during North Pacific winter storms. Notably less crowded than Lowers, making it a smart alternative when the main peak is a zoo.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Upper Trestles is 5-6+ft 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 Upper Trestles is 5-6+ft, produced by a 5.6ft SSW 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 Upper Trestles is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 10.6s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Upper Trestles works best with a W 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 Upper 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.
Upper Trestles is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Upper Trestles is the winter-wave counterpart to Lowers, producing a longer, steeper right-hander off the same cobblestone reef deposited by San Mateo Creek. It draws in W and NW swells that Lowers misses, making it a prime option during North Pacific winter storms. Notably less crowded than Lowers, making it a smart alternative when the main peak is a zoo.
The prime season at Upper Trestles is winter, 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 Upper Trestles include cobblestone bottom, crowds on clean overhead days, long walk in. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Upper 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).
