Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 402 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period with SSW 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 18s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Doheney Beach in the next 16 days are 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8AM. 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 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let me tell you how it’s looking for Doheney Beach. It’s a bit of a quiet stretch ahead, to be honest. The start of the run is pretty lackluster, but there’s a glimmer or two later on if you’re patient.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a real tough opening. Monday the 17th through to about Thursday the 22nd, the surf is barely ticking over. We’re looking at small, weak swell mostly around 1.5 ft to 3 ft from the SSW, with a combined energy that just doesn’t have any punch (mostly in the 300s to low 400s). The winds are a mix of cross and onshore, so it’s not clean. Monday morning has some cross-chop, and the water temp is sitting at a very unusual 73.2°, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year – that’s a solid 5.8° above average, so it’s a noticeable one.
Tuesday the 18th sees a little bump in period, hitting 16 to 17 seconds, which is proper groundswell, but the height is only 2.3 ft. That long period on a beach-reef setup like Doheney can sometimes make things a bit too straight, and the winds aren’t helping. Wednesday the 19th is similar, with the swell energy climbing a touch (454 on the morning), but again, the wind is cross-onshore, so expect some small ripples on the face. Honestly, for the first week, there’s nothing that really gets the heart racing.
Then we hit a bit of a lull. Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are basically flat or poor, with energy dropping into the 100s and 200s. It’s a real blank run for a few days. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are still small, but there’s a slight uptick in period on Sunday (18-19 seconds), which brings a bit more shape, but the size is still tiny.
The real highlight, the one that stands out as the best on offer, is Tuesday the 25th afternoon. We finally see a decent window: clean conditions with a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW at 9 mph. The swell is a small 2 ft from the SW, but the period is 16 seconds, so there’s some energy there (286). It’s a beginner-friendly size, and the wind will make it glassy. That’s your pick of the whole period. Wednesday the 26th afternoon is similar, but the energy is a touch lower.
Looking further out into the end of August and the start of September, there’s a bit more life. From the 29th of August into the 31st, we see the swell picking up to 3 ft from the SSW, with the energy jumping significantly into the 500s and 600s. That’s moderate wave energy. The period is 15 to 17 seconds, so it’s got some push. However, the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so it won’t be as clean as that Tuesday afternoon. It’s promising, but less certain that far out. Tuesday the 1st of September is more of the same, with energy still in the 500s, but the onshore wind keeps it from being a standout.
So, bottom line: don’t expect much for the first week. If you’ve got a shortboard and don’t mind small, long-period groundswell, the window on Tuesday the 25th afternoon and maybe Wednesday the 26th afternoon is your best bet for a clean, fun little session. Crowds are often around Doheney, so expect company. After that, the end of the month has more size, but you’ll be dealing with bumpier conditions.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
330 | 264 | 261 | 232 | 243 | 275 | 377 | 314 | 249 | 239 | 236 | 173 | 139 | 137 | 98 | 90 | 165 | 218 | 127 | 155 | 213 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:03PM1.93m | 1:39AM1.37m | 1:44PM1.88m | 3:28AM1.21m | 2:36PM1.83m | 3:49PM1.80m | 8:27AM1.36m | 5:08PM1.83m | 8:30AM1.43m | 6:10PM1.91m | 8:44AM1.49m | 6:57PM2.01m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 7:54PM0.79m | 6:49AM0.96m | 9:19PM0.80m | 7:04AM1.13m | 11:01PM0.75m | 00:21AM0.65m | 10:10AM1.35m | 1:12AM0.53m | 11:58AM1.32m | 1:49AM0.43m | 12:52PM1.24m | 2:20AM0.34m | |||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 23 |
Feels °C | 21 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 |
330 | 264 | 57 | 52 | 56 | 51 | 377 | 314 | 249 | 239 | 236 | 173 | 139 | 137 | 98 | 90 | 165 | 218 | 99 | 135 | 213 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 18 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
33 | 64 | 261 | 232 | 243 | 275 | 61 | 52 | 19 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 81 | 47 | 47 | 81 | 37 | 33 | 127 | 155 | 199 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 9 | SW 20 | S 8 | SSW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | S 10 | W 6 | W 6 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSE 10 |
8 | 8 | 7 | 114 | 98 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 31 | 57 | 57 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 57 | 58 | 86 | 84 | 20 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | W 6 | — | — | WNW 10 | W 4 |
— | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 6 | — | — | 31 | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 97 | 97 | 0 | 77 | 97 | 0 | 74 | 97 | 0 | 76 | 77 | 0 | 74 | 194 | 0 | 77 | 97 | 0 | 76 | 32 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











