Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 14s period, SSW swell with 1,144 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. 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 1.8m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it.
First up, it’s a bit of a slow burn for the next week and a half. We’ve got surf on offer, but it’s on the smaller side, and a lot of it is pretty junky with cross-onshore breezes messing with the lineup. The first real standout doesn't show its face until Thursday, September 3rd. Before that, it’s all about picking the lesser of the evils and getting wet on a shortboard. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about, just your typical late-summer water.
The energy in the water is moderate, with combined swell energy values mostly in the 400 to 700 range for the first week. It’s not dead, but it’s not firing either. Most of this is short-period windswell mixed with a touch of longer period groundswell, but the size just isn’t there.
Here’s the rundown.
Thursday, August 27th through Wednesday, September 2nd: Doheney Beach (California) is your only show in town, but it’s a marginal one. Expect waves in the 2ft to 4ft range with light, mostly cross or cross-on winds. The swell direction is consistently from the S or SSW. There's one brief window on Tuesday afternoon, September 1st, when the wind goes totally glassy and the waves clean up a bit to 4ft, but it’s still not big. It’s a lot of paddling for not a whole lot of push. You might get a fun one if you’re a beginner, but most sessions will be a frustrating grovel. The whole run is marred by a “marginal surf forecast” label. The highlight, if you can call it that, is the glassy conditions on Tuesday afternoon. The swell is weak to moderate, with a combined energy of 451 in that afternoon.
Thursday, September 3rd - The First Real Pulse: Finally, things wake up. The swell builds during the day. Thursday morning sees it bump to 5ft, but it’s still a bit lumpy with a cross-on wind. The real turn comes Thursday afternoon. The swell jumps to a solid 7ft from the SSW at a 12-second period, and the wind swings around to a light cross-offshore. The combined energy jumps to 1722, which tells you there’s some real power in the water. This is the day for the experienced crew. 7ft is overhead and has some grunt, so leave the foamies at home. It’s going to be challenging but clean. This is your standout moment for the whole forecast. This is the one.
Friday, September 4th through Monday, September 7th: The swell backs down a bit after Thursday’s pulse. We’re looking at 4ft to 4ft for most of this stretch. The winds stay light and mostly cross-shore. It’s more of the same, a bit junky but surfable. The saving grace comes on Monday, September 7th, when a light offshore N wind kicks in. It's not big, only around 3ft, but the conditions will be clean. The wave comment says "expect good surf conditions" so it could be a fun, clean morning on the longboard. The combined energy is 488, so it's not powerful, but the quality should be there.
Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th: The swell drops out. We're down to 2ft to 3ft. The period gets long, 17-19 seconds, but there’s just no size. It’s going to be tiny and weak. The combined energy drops to the 365-533 range, which is weak. Wednesday morning has a cross-offshore wind which will make it beckon, but honestly, it’s a lake. Not worth the effort unless you’re desperate for a glide.
Thursday, September 10th and Friday, September 11th: The last couple of days in the window. Still small. Around 3ft, with light winds. More of the same small, mushy conditions. The energy is weak, in the 300-500 range.
The Verdict: If you’ve got some experience under your belt, circle Thursday, September 3rd afternoon on the calendar. That 7ft SSW swell with light cross-offshore wind at Doheney will be the best wave of the 16-day window. It’s the only time the size and conditions align. Everything before that is small and scrappy. Everything after that fades out. Keep your expectations low for the rest of the time, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s a typical end-of-summer pattern, but that one afternoon makes it all worth it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 23°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 24°C on Sun morning, min 20°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
387 | 272 | 204 | 347 | 289 | 867 | 587 | 733 | 706 | 537 | 400 | 321 | 581 | 496 | 316 | 344 | 338 | 411 | 503 | 343 | 1026 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:57AM1.75m | 9:20PM2.17m | 10:19AM1.82m | 9:55PM2.09m | 10:42AM1.90m | 10:32PM1.96m | 11:06AM1.97m | 11:12PM1.79m | 11:35AM2.01m | 11:59PM1.59m | 12:08PM2.03m | 1:01AM1.39m | 12:51PM2.03m | 2:44AM1.23m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:17PM0.85m | 4:02AM0.29m | 3:53PM0.77m | 4:25AM0.38m | 4:33PM0.70m | 4:48AM0.50m | 5:16PM0.66m | 5:12AM0.64m | 6:05PM0.64m | 5:36AM0.79m | 7:06PM0.65m | 6:00AM0.95m | 8:26PM0.65m | ||||||||
6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 16 | S 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | W 8 | W 8 | SSW 14 | W 7 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 |
387 | 272 | 153 | 347 | 71 | 867 | 587 | 733 | 164 | 135 | 400 | 127 | 581 | 496 | 316 | 344 | 338 | 411 | 503 | 343 | 1026 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 18 | S 9 | SW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | W 7 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 13 | W 5 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | S 15 |
132 | 103 | 204 | 102 | 147 | 49 | 62 | 66 | 706 | 537 | 77 | 321 | 54 | 27 | 84 | 4 | 49 | 111 | 216 | 322 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SW 14 | W 8 | SSW 19 | S 8 | S 8 | WNW 9 | S 9 | S 14 | S 13 | SSE 12 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | W 5 | SW 18 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 5 | SSW 13 | S 15 |
142 | 81 | 153 | 32 | 289 | 32 | 20 | 28 | 14 | 93 | 121 | 208 | 200 | 131 | 8 | 50 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 156 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | WNW 4 | W 5 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 112 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 20 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 76 | 117 | 3 | 97 | 97 | 4 | 225 | 131 | 32 | 76 | 98 | 2 | 76 | 97 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 97 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











