SoCal Surf Forecast for Thursday, October 22: South Swell Delivers

South swell has Thursday’s surf menu looking tasty: my BODI Break Model calls for 4–6 ft surf at standout Orange County breaks, 4–5 ft around Oceanside, and a 6–8 ft specialty show at The Wedge. I’m Bodi, and today’s trick is timing—not automatically sprinting for dawn patrol. Oceanside gets an early window; several Orange County standouts favor afternoon. Your lunch break may need a wetsuit.

San Diego County

My BODI model puts Oceanside Pier Northside and Oceanside Harbor at Excellent, 4–5 ft, from 8AM–10AM, with 4 kt wind and a falling tide. The swell runs about 12.1 seconds from 198°, a SSW approach. Both session scores are 74/100. I’d send confident intermediates and experienced surfers here, keeping clear of the pier and harbor jetties rather than treating those structures like slalom gates.

For a later paddle, my model gives Windansea and Del Mar Good, 3–4 ft, from noon–2PM, each scoring 74/100 with 4 kt wind and a falling tide. Windansea carries an 11.9-second, 196° swell signal; Del Mar gets a longer 13.25 seconds from 199°. Those heights describe breaking surf, not offshore swell height. Windansea’s cobblestone-over-reef bottom makes it my experienced-surfer choice; Del Mar offers a sand-bottom alternative.

Want smaller rather than spicier? BODI has La Jolla Shores at Poor, 1–2 ft, 10AM–noon, with 4 kt wind and falling water. I’d steer learners toward its gentle, sand-bottom peaks instead of the bigger Oceanside options, while keeping expectations modest. La Jolla Shores is practice-sized today, not a highlight-reel factory.

Orange County

My model’s biggest specialty call is The Wedge: Epic, 6–8 ft, 97/100, from 4PM–6PM, with 2 kt wind and a rising tide. Its swell signal is 12.15 seconds from 186°, almost due south. That period is shorter than its preferred 15-plus seconds, so I’m treating Epic as the session rating—not a promise that every ingredient is ideal. The Wedge’s jetty-amplified shorebreak is an expert-only proposition; watching from shore is a perfectly respectable session.

For experienced surfers seeking other options, BODI favors San Clemente Pier at Excellent, 4–6 ft, 4PM–6PM, scoring 77/100 with 5 kt wind and rising water. The local swell runs 12 seconds from 190°. Newport Point also gets an Excellent afternoon window: 4–5 ft, 82/100, 4PM–6PM, with 2 kt wind and a rising tide. Keep a generous buffer from pier pilings at San Clemente Pier.

Prefer lunch-hour lines? My model gives Lower Trestles Good, 4–5 ft, noon–2PM, with 4 kt wind and falling water. That’s the session-specific call; I’m not stretching its broader daily Epic label across the whole afternoon. Respect the cobblestone footing on entry and exit.

Swell outlook

For Friday, October 23, BODI keeps Oceanside Pier Northside and Oceanside Harbor at Good, 4–5 ft, best around 10AM with mid-period SSW swell, offshore wind and falling tide. Windansea holds Good, 3–4 ft, favoring 6AM with long-period WSW groundswell, offshore wind and rising water.

My Friday picks also include Lower Trestles and San Clemente Pier: both Excellent, 4–5 ft around 6AM, with mid-period SSW swell, offshore wind and rising tide. Newport Point holds 4–5 ft but slips to Good with cross-shore wind. Beyond Friday, I’m keeping the weekend and early-week swell call open rather than promising an unconfirmed pulse.

Pick your window, match the break to your ability, and paddle out with a little extra stoke.