Surf spot

Seal Beach

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

Country: USA, California, Orange County
Coordinates: 33.7383, -118.1101

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)	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6
Wave direction	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	WSW	WSW	S	S	S	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	12.2	12.3	10.3	11.8	11.8	11.8	11.8	10.3	9.6	9.6	7.4	7.3	9.1	8.9	8.8	4.5	4.8	5.2	5.4	5.5	6.3	6.7	6	5.8	6.1	6.2	6.1	6	6	6	6	6.7	6.7	6.9	7	7	7	9.7	9.6	9.3	9.2	11.4	11.4	11.3	11.9	13.8	13.7	13.4	13.3	13.2	13	12.7	12.4	12.2	11.9	11.6
Wave energy (kJ)	121	116	71	88	75	81	94	71	71	75	39	35	51	43	49	16	27	36	39	39	39	47	48	45	66	67	55	47	42	37	33	30	30	34	33	32	33	58	57	47	42	65	60	59	66	88	86	83	82	87	91	87	90	93	89	84
Wind speed (km/h)	15.7	13.4	14.9	16.6	16.4	14.3	13.7	11.4	12.3	12.3	13	14.4	15.1	14.1	9.2	12.3	9.4	5.2	6.5	11.8	15	13.1	11.4	12.6	13	13.4	12.9	14.1	17.6	15.9	13.7	14.2	14.2	12.9	11.3	16.2	17.7	16	11.6	10.1	8.6	8.7	8.3	11.7	15.1	15.5	10.3	9.9	7.8	4.9	4.3	10	14.3	16	9.8	7.1
Wind direction	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSECross-on	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSECross-on	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWGlassy	SWGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on

Seal Beach is a classic Orange County surf spot known for its mellow, beginner-friendly waves and laid-back beach town vibe. It sits at the north end of Orange County, right by the mouth of the San Gabriel River, which helps shape the sandbars and surf conditions.

Quick overview

Wave type: Mostly soft, beachbreak waves
Best for: Beginners, longboarders, and intermediate surfers on smaller days
Direction: Works best on southwest swells, with some south swell energy also showing up
Wind: Offshore winds from the east/northeast are ideal; onshore westerlies can make it choppy
Crowds: Can get busy, especially when conditions are clean and surf is small-to-medium

What it’s like

Seal Beach usually offers forgiving, slower waves rather than powerful barrels or heavy surf. The waves tend to be more manageable and rideable, which makes it a good place to practice trimming, turns, and logging on a longboard. On better sandbar setups, it can produce fun, lined-up peaks, but it’s generally not considered a high-performance wave.

Conditions and consistency

Size: Often best in the waist-high to chest-high range, though it can handle bigger swells
Shape: More mellow and crumbly than steep or hollow
Tide: Can be tide-sensitive; different sandbars may work better at mid tide
Season: Summer and early fall often bring more consistent south swells

Local feel

The spot has a friendly, beach-town atmosphere, with surfers spread out along the wide sandy shoreline. It’s a popular place for locals, learners, and anyone wanting an easygoing session without the intensity of more famous Orange County breaks.