Doheney Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.46° N 117.68° W

Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 16 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Doheney Beach sea temperature is
21.3° C
2.4° 

Doheney Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Doheney Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 15s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 16s period, S swell with 1,719 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 11s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Doheney Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Doheney Beach in the next 16 days are 1.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Sat 18th Jul)2.5ft (0.8m) 11s
Best Surf 8PM (Wed 22nd Jul)5ft (1.5m) 15s
Most Powerful 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul)6ft (1.9m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Right, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a slow and frustrating start. For the first three days, the surf is just too weak and messy to get excited about. The waves are small, the wind is mostly onshore, and the energy is almost non-existent. We’ve got a gap of quiet, poor surf until things start to show a pulse.

The first real chance to get a wave comes on Saturday the 18th. It’s still not great, but the swell starts to build. Doheney Beach picks up a 3ft SSW swell with a fairly long period of 18 seconds. The wind is light cross-onshore, making it a bit crumbly. The combined energy hits 487 (moderate), but it’s still a marginal session at best. The water is a very unusual 70°F, which is 4°F warmer than normal for this time of year.

The weekend improves a little, with Sunday afternoon the 19th offering the best of the early window. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the S with a 12-second period, and the combined energy climbs to 1023 (strong). The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s clean enough, but it’s still not a standout.

The real standout, the one to circle on your calendar, is Wednesday the 23rd of July. The morning shows a solid 6ft S swell, with a 14-second period and a combined energy of 1525 (very strong). The wind is light cross-onshore, keeping the face reasonably clean. This is the biggest swell of the forecast, and it’s packing some serious punch. The size makes it one for the experienced crew; beginners will be in over their heads. The later afternoon is slightly smaller at 6ft, but still a good option.

Into the second week, the pattern holds. The 24th and 25th still have good size, with 6ft and 5ft S/SSW swells, but the wind is a bit more onshore or cross-onshore, so the quality drops a notch. The combined energy stays strong, well over 1300, so there’s plenty of push. By the 26th, the swell eases but the period stretches out to 19 seconds, which is a very long period groundswell. That’s prone to closing out the beach break, but it’ll have a ton of energy.

Overall, Doheney is a fairly consistent reef break, so it usually manages to pick up something. Crowds are often an issue, especially when the size jumps up, so expect company on the 23rd. The best bet is that Wednesday morning – it’s the biggest, most powerful swell of the run, and despite the light cross-onshore wind, it’s the one to go for.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thu
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SW
16
0.4
SW
19
0.5
SW
19
0.4
SW
18
0.6
SW
15
0.8
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.8
S
11
0.9
SW
17
1.3
S
12
1.3
S
12
0.9
SSW
15
1
SSW
16
1.2
SSW
13
1
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
1.4
S
15
1.9
S
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
121
126
181
83
137
366
255
149
401
518
480
398
499
454
512
434
474
336
871
1719
Wind (km/h)
15
S
15
SSE
15
S
15
S
10
SE
15
S
10
SSW
5
SSE
15
SSW
10
SW
10
S
10
SW
15
W
5
S
10
WSW
20
WNW
10
WNW
20
W
25
WNW
5
WSW
Wind State
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
High Tide
11:18PM2.26m
12:51PM1.80m
00:07AM2.01m
1:33PM1.84m
1:01AM1.74m
2:17PM1.86m
2:06AM1.48m
3:04PM1.88m
3:40AM1.29m
3:55PM1.89m
5:53AM1.24m
4:49PM1.91m
Low Tide
5:15PM0.94m
6:17AM0.16m
6:14PM0.94m
6:54AM0.36m
7:21PM0.95m
7:30AM0.58m
8:38PM0.94m
8:06AM0.79m
10:09PM0.88m
8:44AM0.98m
11:37PM0.77m
9:34AM1.13m
00:45AM0.63m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:54
5:54
5:54
5:56
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:00
8:00
8:00
7:59
7:59
7:58
7:57
 mm
Temp °C
22
21
22
22
20
21
21
20
22
22
20
22
23
23
24
25
23
23
23
22
Feels °C
22
21
22
22
20
21
21
21
22
22
21
23
22
24
23
23
23
23
21
23
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  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Doheney Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Doheney Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Doheney Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Doheney Beach surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Doheney Beach) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Doheney Beach may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Doheney Beach is 2 km (1 miles) from Dana Point. If you plan a vacation in Orange County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Dana Point. Dana Point has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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