
Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 18s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 17s period, SSW swell with 807 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. 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 1.2m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) 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 1.0m 5s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be real about the next couple of weeks. It’s not going to be a period you write home about, but there’s a little something to get wet for if you’re keen and manage your expectations. We’re looking at a stretch of small, inconsistent swell, so this is more about getting a few fun ones than chasing anything epic.
The waves are going to be on the smaller side for a while, and the wind is mostly going to be light and cross-shore, which will keep things clean but not super crisp. The first few days, Wednesday the 12th through to the 16th, are pretty weak. The swell energy is moderate at best, with readings in the 200-600 range. You’ll find some knee-to-waist high lines at Doheny Beach, but it’s going to be a bit soft and contesty. The period is long, 16-18 seconds, which means it’s a groundswell, but there just isn’t much size behind it. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so the 3/2 will be fine.
The first real standout, if you can call it that, looks like Saturday the 15th. The morning session has a little more push with a summary swell of 3ft from the SSW, and the energy climbs to 620. It’s still small, but the period is a solid 16 seconds and it’s a Saturday, so there might be a few more heads out. It’s a beggar’s choice, but the morning glass-off is your best bet. Just don't expect any barrels.
After that, things get a bit rougher. Sunday the 16th afternoon gets a bit messy with the cross-shore wind picking up, and Monday the 17th looks poor as the wind swings more onshore. The middle of next week sees the swell drop off a cliff. From the 20th onwards, we’re looking at a serious gap with essentially nothing surfable. The wind goes straight onshore and the swell just fades away, with energy readings dropping below 200. This is a blank run, folks. The good news is the breaks around here are fairly consistent, so this kind of flat spell isn't permanent.
The end of the run, around the 26th and 27th, shows a hint of life returning. The period jumps back up to 18 seconds from the SSW on the 27th, but it’s still tiny at 2ft. It’s promising, but it’s over a week away and the forecast confidence is low. Keep an eye on it, but don't book the day off work.
The only spot on the radar is Doheny Beach (San Onofre). It’s a reef setup that’s fairly consistent, but it’s a beginner-friendly wave, so when it’s small, it’s pretty user-friendly. Crowds are likely, especially on the weekend. And with the long period, it’s going to be breaking a bit straight at this beach break. The best of a poor bunch is definitely the morning of the 15th, with that 3ft SSW groundswell and light winds. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the most surfable wave on offer.
Other than that, it’s a lot of groveling or finding another hobby for a week.
-Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 19°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 19°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
316 | 193 | 264 | 261 | 255 | 353 | 280 | 299 | 360 | 807 | 417 | 627 | 666 | 499 | 443 | 367 | 367 | 264 | 261 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 8:46PM2.49m | 10:15AM1.79m | 9:33PM2.43m | 10:48AM1.87m | 10:18PM2.30m | 11:21AM1.93m | 11:02PM2.09m | 11:54AM1.96m | 11:47PM1.85m | 12:28PM1.96m | 00:36AM1.60m | 1:03PM1.93m | 1:39AM1.37m | ||||||
Low Tide | 3:51AM-0.05m | 3:24PM0.82m | 4:26AM0.03m | 4:13PM0.75m | 5:00AM0.17m | 5:02PM0.72m | 5:31AM0.35m | 5:53PM0.72m | 6:00AM0.56m | 6:49PM0.75m | 6:27AM0.77m | 7:54PM0.79m | |||||||
— | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 6 |
316 | 193 | 264 | 261 | 255 | 353 | 280 | 217 | 360 | 807 | 417 | 627 | 666 | 499 | 443 | 367 | 367 | 264 | 58 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SW 14 | W 4 | SW 14 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 |
47 | 27 | 47 | 47 | 60 | 60 | 53 | 299 | 214 | 13 | 191 | 8 | 18 | 13 | 19 | 8 | 8 | 63 | 261 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | S 13 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | W 13 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | S 11 | SSW 11 | S 12 | W 5 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | S 10 | S 10 |
2 | 51 | 32 | 22 | 29 | 44 | 149 | 35 | 79 | 42 | 12 | 38 | 20 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 4 | — | — | — | W 13 | — | W 6 | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | — |
— | 2 | — | — | — | 30 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | 19 | 16 | 21 | 37 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 97 | 97 | 0 | 76 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 139 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 89 | 97 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 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.











