Surf spot

San Clemente Pier

Forecast conditions and map view for San Clemente Pier in USA, California, Orange County. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, Orange County
Coordinates: 33.4198, -117.6215

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	SSW	S	S	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WSW	W	W	W	W	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	12.9	12.9	12.5	12.6	12.1	11.9	11.8	11.8	12.1	11.6	11.4	11.3	11.2	11.2	11.2	7.9	4.7	6.2	5.2	5.2	5.3	5.6	6.3	6.8	4.8	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.5	5	7.3	7.3	9.7	8.7	12.1	12.9	13.2	14.6	14.4	14.3	14.1	13.9	13.9	13.8	13.7	13.3	13.3	13.1	12.4	13.1	13.2	13	12.8	12.8	10.2
Wave energy (kJ)	224	154	145	154	195	190	180	168	127	147	135	132	130	129	122	54	26	41	41	40	38	40	35	33	22	57	54	47	40	35	14	19	19	30	29	61	77	80	98	104	111	107	121	122	128	126	128	135	140	127	115	117	106	104	95	60
Wind speed (km/h)	13.3	14.1	12.7	17.8	18.4	13.5	10.9	9.9	12.5	10.2	10.1	15.5	14.5	10.4	2.9	4.7	9.7	8.7	6.8	15.8	15.4	13.3	7.2	11.2	13.2	13.6	16.8	20.9	17.6	14.4	8.5	10.9	9.2	10.5	8.7	13.4	14.8	13.2	6.4	5.7	7.6	4.3	4.3	11.5	14.2	10.5	2.9	0.7	1.5	2.5	0.8	9.9	14.5	12.9	4.5	2.7
Wind direction	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SSECross	SSECross	SCross	SECross	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWOnshore	SGlassy	SSEGlassy	SECross-off	SECross-off	ESECross-off	SCross-on	SCross-on	SCross-on	SSECross	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SSECross	SCross-on	SCross-on	SSECross	SECross-off	SECross-off	ESECross-off	SECross-off	SCross-on	SWCross-on	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SECross	ESECross-off	SEGlassy	SSEGlassy	SWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWGlassy	SGlassy	WSWGlassy	WGlassy	SSWGlassy	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WNWGlassy	WSWGlassy

San Clemente Pier is a classic Southern California surf spot located in San Clemente, Orange County, California, USA. It’s a popular, easy-to-access break right off the city’s iconic pier and is known for its consistent beachbreak waves and lively local surf scene.

Spot overview

Type: Beach break near a pier
Best for: Beginner to intermediate surfers, though it can also be fun for advanced surfers when conditions are right
Wave character: Fast, playful, and often peaky with multiple takeoff zones
Crowds: Usually busy, especially on weekends and during good south swells

Conditions

Best swell direction: South and southwest swells tend to work well
Best wind: Light offshore or calm morning winds
Tide: Can change the quality a lot; mid tide is often a good starting point
Wave quality: Can be very fun when sandbars line up, but it’s sand-dependent and can change quickly

What to expect

San Clemente Pier often offers fun, user-friendly waves with a mix of mellow shoulders and occasional punchier sections. Because it’s a beachbreak, the conditions can vary from day to day depending on sand movement, swell size, and tide. The pier area can create organized peaks, but crowding is common due to the spot’s popularity and central location.

Atmosphere

The spot has a relaxed, quintessential SoCal vibe, with surfers, beachgoers, and pier traffic all sharing the area. It’s scenic, accessible, and one of the more recognizable surf locations in Orange County.

Things to keep in mind

Expect crowds and competition for waves
Be mindful of pier pilings and other surfers
Sandbars can shift, so the wave quality may change throughout the season