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Three Arch Bay 88.6
#930 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇺🇸 United States of America · California · near Irvine
Works almost every day, no off season, gentle enough to learn.
Works all yearBeginner friendlyBeginner
Surf score88.6 /100
Surfable days95% of the year
Clean days52% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell55% period 11 s+
Typical size0.9 m 2.9 ft median
Water19°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Three Arch Bay
The best time to surf Three Arch Bay is April, May, September. The season runs Jan to Jan. In April the water sits around 18°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 1.0 m. The nearest airport is SNA (24 km) and the nearest town is Irvine (23 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90% | 44% | 0.9 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Feb | 88% | 25% | 0.8 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 95% | 51% | 1.0 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 99% | 68% | 1.0 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| May | 100% | 65% | 1.0 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 100% | 63% | 0.9 m | 19°C | 2mm |
| Jul | 99% | 63% | 0.9 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Aug | 100% | 59% | 0.8 m | 22°C | vest |
| Sep | 100% | 68% | 0.9 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Oct | 96% | 49% | 0.8 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Nov | 85% | 30% | 0.8 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 88% | 31% | 0.9 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
Why 88.6
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
24.0
Groundswell 12%
11.0
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
1.6
Water comfort 10%
4.1
Access 10%
9.5
The detail
Faces 235° with 42% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 93% of days. Mean peak period 13.3 s. Days over 3 m: 0%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 86%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 33.493, -117.735 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
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