Southern California surf forecast

Surfing in Southern California

Southern California's coast bends and faces several directions, so different stretches work on different swells. This page covers Santa Barbara and Ventura, Orange County and San Diego. Broadly, winter brings west and north-west swells from North Pacific storms, summer brings south and south-west swells from the Southern Hemisphere and tropical storms off Mexico, and autumn is often the best all-round season with swell from both directions, warmer water and offshore Santa Ana winds.

Rincon, on the Santa Barbara and Ventura county line, is a long right-hand point that is at its best on strong west and north-west winter swells. Lower Trestles near San Clemente is a high-performance cobblestone peak that works best on summer south and south-west swells, though it also takes winter swell. Huntington Beach is a consistent beach break around the pier that picks up both seasons. The Wedge at Newport Beach forms when south and south-west swells bounce off the long west jetty, producing a dangerous, heaving shore break ridden mostly by bodysurfers and bodyboarders. In San Diego, Blacks Beach sits in front of the Scripps submarine canyon, which focuses westerly swell so it is often much bigger than nearby beaches. La Jolla Cove is a north-facing cove inside a marine reserve, better known for swimming and snorkelling in small summer conditions.

Mornings usually have the lightest winds before onshore sea breezes. Tide affects many spots, and line-ups at the famous breaks are crowded. Water is cool for much of the year, so most surfers wear a wetsuit outside summer.