Orange County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Cottons, Orange County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sun, May 10: 9–10ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Expect 9-10ft all day on SSW swell at 18s with 8mph WSW winds — nothing amazing but surfable.
Mon, May 11: 10–11ft, 18s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 10-11ft waves on SSW swell at 17s and gentle NW breeze. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, May 12: 7–8ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 8-9ft waves on SSW swell at 15s and light SSE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 13: 6–7ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 7-8ft waves on SSW swell at 14s and light winds out of the ESE. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Thu, May 14: 7–8ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 5-6ft waves on SSW swell at 13s and gentle ESE breeze. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and poor - fair by then.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Cottons Point is the northernmost break in the Trestles complex, a fickle left-hand point break over cobblestone that transforms from a mushy, forgiving wall into a high-performance barrel wave during large, long-period south swells. Most days it's ideal for cutbacks and flow surfing; under the right conditions it produces some of the best lefts in Orange County. Less crowded than Lowers due to its fickleness.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Cottons is 9-10ft with a 17.7s swell period. Wind is W at 8mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Cottons is 9-10ft, produced by a 1.5ft SSW primary swell at 18s, a 1.1ft W secondary swell at 6s, a 0.9ft S tertiary swell at 14s. 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 Cottons is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 11ft waves, a 16.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Cottons works best with a S 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 Cottons. 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.
Cottons is a point with a cobblestone bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Cottons Point is the northernmost break in the Trestles complex, a fickle left-hand point break over cobblestone that transforms from a mushy, forgiving wall into a high-performance barrel wave during large, long-period south swells. Most days it's ideal for cutbacks and flow surfing; under the right conditions it produces some of the best lefts in Orange County. Less crowded than Lowers due to its fickleness.
The prime season at Cottons is summer, 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 Cottons include cobblestone bottom, strong currents, long walk in, crowds on good days. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Cottons 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
