SoCal Surf Forecast for Tuesday, October 6: Wednesday Builds

South swell keeps Tuesday, October 6 playful, with a bigger Wednesday worth setting an alarm for. My BODI Break Model puts most San Diego and Orange County surf at 2–4 feet today, with select standouts above that. The useful news: light morning wind gives you a clean-session opportunity without needing a heroic paddle-out. I’m Bodi, and today’s equipment recommendation is a board—not your big-wave acceptance speech.

San Diego County

My BODI model gives Oceanside Harbor and Oceanside Pier Northside the county’s strongest session scores: Good, 70/100, with 3–4-foot surf from 8–10 AM. Both get 1-knot wind and a falling tide, with south-southwest swell at 192° and 11.8 seconds. I’d target that window rather than assume dawn automatically wins. Give the harbor jetties and pier pilings plenty of room.

For an earlier paddle, BODI calls Sunset Cliffs Good at 3–4 feet, 66/100, from 6–8 AM, with 2-knot wind and a rising tide. Its swell runs 186° at 10.7 seconds—not the longer-period west-to-northwest setup those reefs prefer, but still a useful session forecast. I’d leave Sunset Cliffs to surfers comfortable navigating reef and rock; small surf does not turn the bottom into a mattress.

My other reef pick is Bird Rock: Good, 3–4 feet, 66/100, from 8–10 AM, with 2-knot wind and a falling tide. BODI has the swell at 189° and about 10.9 seconds. Bird Rock is another experienced-surfer option, not my first recommendation for learning.

For newer surfers or a mellow longboard mission, I’d check La Jolla Shores. BODI forecasts Fair, 1–2 feet, from 10 AM–noon, with 3-knot wind and a falling tide. Its gentle, sand-bottom peaks make La Jolla Shores my more forgiving choice.

Orange County

My BODI call for Lower Trestles is Good, 70/100, at 3–4 feet from 8–10 AM, with 1-knot wind and a falling tide. The south swell is 181° at 11.1 seconds: a favorable direction, though shorter than its preferred 12-second-plus energy. I’d bring something that carries speed rather than demand freight-train walls.

Farther north, BODI puts Huntington Beach Pier Southside at Good, 66/100, with 3–4-foot surf from 8–10 AM. Expect 2-knot wind and a falling tide, with south-southeast energy at 169° and roughly 10.5 seconds. Keep your takeoff zone clear of the pier.

For size, my model’s best-session call at The Wedge is Good, 71/100, at 4–5 feet from 10 AM–noon, with 4-knot wind, a falling tide and a 10.8-second period. That wedging, jetty-influenced shorebreak is a specialist choice. I’d recommend watching rather than making it your next beginner milestone.

Swell outlook

Wednesday, October 7 is the upgrade, according to BODI. Oceanside Harbor reaches Excellent, 4–5 feet around 8 AM, with light, glassy wind and a falling tide. Oceanside Pier Northside reaches Good, 4–5 feet around 10 AM, despite 5-knot onshore wind.

BODI lifts Lower Trestles to Excellent, 4–6 feet around 10 AM, also with 5-knot onshore wind and a falling tide. Huntington Beach Pier Southside earns Excellent, 4–5 feet around 6 AM, with light wind and a rising tide. The Wedge gets an Epic model rating at 4–6 feet around 8 AM—a quality rating, not a safety endorsement. Beyond Wednesday, I’m holding off on a firm swell call through the weekend.

Pick your window, respect the bottom, and paddle out with a little extra stoke.