SoCal Surf Forecast for Thursday, October 8: South Swell Builds

Southerly swell is serving up Thursday, October 8 surf, with a stronger long-period follow-up on tap for Friday. My BODI model puts many San Diego and Orange County favorites at 3–4 feet today, with standout sessions reaching 4–5 feet and bigger shorebreak at The Wedge. I’m Bodi, and my call is simple: pick your window, not just the biggest number. Your alarm clock finally has a respectable hobby.

San Diego County

Oceanside Harbor leads my BODI picks: Excellent, 4–5 feet, 78/100, from 6–8 AM, with 3-knot wind and a rising tide. The model has an 11.5-second period here. I’d steer confident surfers toward Oceanside Harbor, while keeping a generous buffer from the jetties—an Excellent rating is not a force field.

For a slightly smaller session, my model gives Ponto Good, 3–4 feet, 70/100, also from 6–8 AM, with calm wind and rising water. Ponto’s southerly energy is modeled at 189° and 13.05 seconds. That’s my tempting sand-bottom option for competent intermediates who want waves without chasing today’s largest surf.

My BODI model also rates Bird Rock and Seaside Reef Good at 3–4 feet, 70/100, from 6–8 AM. Both get rising tides; wind runs 3 knots at Bird Rock and just 1 knot at Seaside Reef. Periods are 11.75 seconds from 189° and 12.45 seconds from 190°, respectively. With reef bottoms at both, I’d favor surfers comfortable managing rocky entries and exits.

Learning rather than hunting sets? My model puts La Jolla Shores at Poor, 1–2 feet, from 8–10 AM, with 4-knot wind and rising water. I’d choose its gentle, sand-bottom peaks over a reef for practice, while keeping expectations modest: small-wave homework, not a highlight reel.

Orange County

My BODI model’s biggest headline is The Wedge: Epic, 5–7 feet, 94/100, from 6–8 AM, with 4-knot wind and a rising tide. Its south swell is modeled at 179° and 9.45 seconds—not yet the long-period groundswell expected Friday. The Wedge’s jetty-amplified shorebreak makes this an expert-only proposition in my book; watching from shore is a perfectly legitimate stoke delivery system.

For experienced board surfers, I’d prioritize Huntington Beach Pier Southside. My model calls Excellent, 3–5 feet, 72/100, from 8–10 AM, with a rising tide, 2-knot wind and a 9.4-second period. Give the pier plenty of room rather than letting a good set negotiate your clearance.

Farther south, my BODI session forecast puts Lower Trestles at Fair, 4–5 feet, from noon–2 PM, with 7-knot wind and falling water. The modeled swell is 181° at 9.3 seconds. There’s size, but I’d take Huntington Beach Pier Southside’s better-rated window before assuming the famous cobblestones guarantee better conditions.

Swell outlook

Friday, October 9 is the upgrade I’m watching. My BODI model brings long-period SSW groundswell to San Diego and south groundswell to Orange County, paired with light, glassy wind and rising tides around 6 AM.

The model lifts Bird Rock to Excellent, 4–5 feet, keeps Oceanside Harbor Excellent at 4–5 feet, and nudges Ponto to Good, 3–5 feet. Lower Trestles improves to Excellent, 4–5 feet, while The Wedge reaches Epic, 7–9 feet. I’m not extending that Friday jump into a guaranteed weekend or early-week run; those later days remain a wait-and-check call.

Pick the session that fits your skills, respect the hard stuff, and paddle out with a little room for everyone.