
Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 487 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 16 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s 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 (Sep 16) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 0.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it.
Look, I’m going to be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are not going to have you ringing your mates to get them out of bed early. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak swell at Doheney Beach, and honestly, it’s mostly just a bunch of knee-to-waist-high lines with a whole lot of waiting in between. The energy is there, but it’s not doing much for us. The combined swell energy is mostly in the mid-200s to mid-500s – so, moderate at best, but with the tiny heights, it’s just not translating into anything rideable for most folks.
The water is a real talking point, though. We’re sitting at 73° right now, which is a good 6° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s pretty wild – you won’t need a hood, that’s for sure. Just a warm wetsuit or even a springie.
Kicking off the forecast, Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th is basically a write-off for any real surfing. We’re looking at around 1ft to 2ft of SW swell with periods of 16 to 18 seconds. That long period means it’s clean-ish, but there’s just nothing to push you along. It’s onshore, so it’s just bumpy and messy. You’d be better off doing something else. The combined energy is sitting down around 259 to 308, which is weak. It’s a frustrating start.
Things barely tick up into the middle of the week. Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th see the swell bump to 3ft from the SSW, with periods still up around 16 to 17 seconds. The energy climbs into the 426 to 483 range, which is moderate, but the wind turns a bit cross-on and cross, making it a bit lumpy. It’s still not looking great, but it’s not completely dead, you know? It’s just marginal – the kind of day you check it, shrug, and maybe go for a bodysurf if you’re keen. The crowd factor’s there too, being a spot that often has people, so you won’t be alone. But there’s not much worth competing for.
Friday the 18th through the weekend of the 19th and 20th, we see the swell drop back a touch to 2ft to 3ft from the SW. The periods are still long, in that 18-second range, so it’s got a bit of push, but the heights just aren’t there. The energy actually builds to around 500 to 602 by Sunday the 20th. Still, it’s all light onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be clean. It’s still marginal. You might get one or two little runners if you’re on a longboard, but it’s not worth getting excited about.
Then we hit that long stretch from the 21st all the way through to the 27th. There’s a bit of a pattern – the swell stays small, about 2ft to 3ft, but the period starts to drop from 17 seconds down to 13 seconds. That’s a big deal because as that period drops, the waves lose their power and start to crumble and close out. It’s a lot more work for nothing. The energy is still in the 300s to 400s, so it's not totally flat, but it’s just junky. Winds are light and variable, mostly cross or cross-on, with a bit of cloud cover. It’s that kind of week where the surf report is just a series of “marginal” and “poor” messages. The 25th and 26th look particularly uninspiring, with cross-shore winds and small ripples. You’re not going to get any quality waves here.
The final few days, the 28th and 29th, the swell stays right around 2ft with periods down to 15 to 18 seconds. The energy stays moderate – around 281 to 441. Again, the wind is mostly cross, sometimes on. It's still not doing anything for us. That’s about as good as it gets, and frankly, it’s not good.
So, the honest takeaway is this: there are no standout days in this 16-day window at Doheney Beach. It’s mostly inconsistent, small, and jumbled. For beginners, the tiny size is manageable, but the poor quality and constant wind will just frustrate you. For everyone else, it’s not worth paddling out.
Given the light winds and small, weak surf at a beach setup, if you’re into the idea of it, this actually looks more interesting for a kite or foil session than for prone surfing. But for a pure surf, you’d be better off waiting for something else to come along.
This kind of blank run is normal for this stretch, so don’t get too down about it. Forecasts can change, but right now, we’re just going to have to be patient.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 19°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
108 | 150 | 147 | 127 | 127 | 114 | 386 | 310 | 402 | 284 | 246 | 242 | 303 | 303 | 234 | 379 | 375 | 375 | 455 | 455 | 434 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:26AM2.06m | 00:21AM1.49m | 11:56AM1.99m | 1:26AM1.32m | 12:29PM1.90m | 3:59AM1.22m | 1:16PM1.80m | 2:38PM1.72m | 8:15AM1.44m | 4:24PM1.72m | 7:56AM1.50m | 5:38PM1.80m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 6:16PM0.56m | 5:26AM0.96m | 7:11PM0.64m | 5:39AM1.11m | 8:25PM0.71m | 5:03AM1.22m | 10:08PM0.73m | 11:37PM0.66m | 10:12AM1.43m | 00:31AM0.57m | 11:55AM1.34m | 1:07AM0.48m | |||||||||
6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 | SW 18 | W 7 |
107 | 118 | 78 | 76 | 57 | 32 | 386 | 310 | 402 | 284 | 246 | 242 | 303 | 303 | 41 | 379 | 375 | 375 | 59 | 455 | 88 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 6 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 7 | SW 17 |
108 | 150 | 147 | 127 | 122 | 88 | 12 | 26 | 40 | 28 | 47 | 83 | 160 | 141 | 184 | 23 | 25 | 36 | 455 | 71 | 434 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSE 9 | W 6 | SW 13 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | W 6 | S 8 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 |
44 | 40 | 38 | 37 | 127 | 114 | 28 | 9 | 43 | 160 | 160 | 154 | 15 | 12 | 234 | 98 | 95 | 85 | 48 | 76 | 51 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 9 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 74 | 74 | 41 | 74 | 77 | 36 | 76 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 0 | 74 | 97 | 0 | 74 | 97 | 0 | 74 | 97 | 3 |
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.










