SoCal Surf Forecast for Wednesday, October 28: Dawn Patrol Wins

South-to-west swell energy is giving Southern California a rideable Wednesday, October 28, with my BODI Break Model calling Good, 3–4 ft surf at standout San Diego breaks and southern Orange County spots. Most best windows land at 6–8 AM with light wind and rising tide; The Wedge breaks ranks with a bigger late-morning forecast. I’m Bodi, and today’s game plan is selective shopping—not driving past perfectly good waves searching for a mythical parking-lot unicorn.

San Diego County

My BODI model puts Sunset Cliffs, Bird Rock and Seaside Reef at Good, 3–4 ft, scoring 74/100, with their best sessions at 6–8 AM on rising tide. Session winds run 4 kt at Sunset Cliffs and Bird Rock, and 3 kt at Seaside Reef. That’s my shortlist for experienced surfers looking for more substance than the smaller beachbreak options.

The model’s swell direction and period explain the appeal: Sunset Cliffs has 253° energy at 13.15 seconds, Bird Rock has 252° at 13.55 seconds, and Seaside Reef has 251° at 13.4 seconds. That west-southwest approach sits within each break’s preferred swell range. Those 3–4 ft figures are breaking-wave forecasts, not offshore swell heights. My practical advice: respect the reef bottoms, particularly the reef-and-rock setup at Sunset Cliffs. A Good rating does not make rocks softer.

For a gentler assignment, my model has La Jolla Shores at Fair, 1–2 ft, best 6–8 AM, with 5 kt wind and rising tide. Its sandy bottom and gentle peaks make La Jolla Shores my beginner-oriented pick. Want a sandy-bottom alternative with more size? My model gives Ponto Good, 3–4 ft, 74/100, during the same window, with just 2 kt wind.

Orange County

My BODI model favors Lower Trestles for Good, 3–4 ft surf, 74/100, best 6–8 AM, with 5 kt wind and rising tide. The swell runs 199° at 12.95 seconds, a south-southwest angle inside its preferred range. Lower Trestles is my pick for capable surfers wanting lefts and rights over cobblestone; watch your footing rather than auditioning for a slippery-rock dance competition.

For a beachbreak option, my model puts San Clemente Pier at Good, 3–4 ft, 74/100, also best 6–8 AM, with 6 kt wind and rising tide. Give the pier structure room.

The headline outlier is The Wedge: my model calls Epic, 5–6 ft, 90/100, best 10 AM–noon, with 2 kt wind and rising tide. Its modeled 231° swell at 13 seconds is outside its preferred 170°–210°, 15-second-plus setup, so I wouldn’t confuse that rating with a textbook swell alignment. The Wedge is wedging shorebreak beside a jetty: experienced riders only, and watching from shore is a perfectly respectable session.

Swell outlook

For Thursday, my BODI model points to long-period SSW groundswell across San Diego and southern Orange County, with S groundswell around Huntington. Ponto and Lower Trestles hold Good, 3–4 ft, best around 6 AM, with offshore wind and rising tide. San Clemente Pier holds that same size, rating and timing.

The Wedge rises to Epic, 5–7 ft, best 8 AM Thursday, according to my model. Meanwhile, River Jetties improves from today’s Fair, 2–3 ft to Good, 3–4 ft, best 8 AM Thursday with offshore wind and rising tide. Beyond Thursday, I’m not making a firm weekend swell call yet—no imaginary Halloween monster swell on my watch.

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