Dana Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the local zone.

We’re looking at a pretty lackluster stretch ahead, to be honest. The surf is small and the wind is often a problem. There’s no big, clean swell on the horizon, so we’re mostly chasing scraps. If you’re desperate for a paddle, you’ll need to pick your window very carefully.

Let’s start with Dana Point (Dana Point). Water temps are sitting at a very unusual 73°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than normal for this time of year—that’s a real standout, feels like a bath out there.

The best chance we get is on Thursday, September 10th. The morning sees a 3ft swell from the SW, with a long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is moderate (656). The wind is a light cross-shore, keeping things only slightly bumpy. It’s not a world-class day, but it’s the cleanest we’ll see. The afternoon holds similar 3ft swell, also 3ft from the SW, with a 16-second period and moderate energy (572). The wind stays light cross-shore. This is the pick of the forecast.

On Wednesday, September 9th, the morning is tiny with 2ft from the SW, but that’s a 16-second period. The wind is light and offshore—glass!—but the swell is just too small to get excited about. The energy is moderate (418). It’s a session for the log, nothing more.

The rest of the week is a write-off. Tuesday, September 8th is choppy with 9-16 mph cross-onshore winds, and the surf is only 3ft to 3ft. Friday, September 11th through the weekend is plagued by moderate cross-shore winds and small, weak swell. The energy dips into the 200s and 300s, which is weak.

Looking into the second week, from September 15th onwards, the pattern doesn’t change much. There’s a persistent 2ft to 3ft south-west swell, but it’s almost always battling a light cross-onshore or onshore wind. The energy stays in the moderate range (300-600), but the quality is never there. Monday, September 21st morning shows a 3ft SW swell with light offshore wind and moderate energy (632), but it’s quite a wait and the overall pattern is unreliable.

To be honest, there’s no single standout day that’s going to blow your mind. Thursday the 10th is your best bet for a smooth, clean wave, even if it’s not big. The rest is just a lot of waiting for the wind to play nice.

Rusty.

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