Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’re looking at a pretty long stretch ahead, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough read for the first week and a half. The overall pattern is one of persistent onshore and cross-onshore winds with only marginal surf quality. There’s a real gap in any worthwhile waves until we get into the last week of July.

Doheney Beach is the only spot on the cards, and it’s a tough one. For the first few days, from Friday the 17th right through to Sunday the 26th of July, the surf is just a struggle. On Friday the 17th, we’ve got a long-period SSW groundswell at 2 ft with a 19-second period, but a 12 mph onshore southerly wind is just shredding it. The combined energy is weak (298), and it’s straight-up poor. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 70°, about 3° above average, which is nice for the skin but not for the waves.

Saturday the 18th brings a little more size – 3 ft – but that onshore wind and a 479 combined energy (moderate) still means poor conditions. Things don’t really improve; we get a bump up to 4 ft on Sunday the 19th, but with a shorter 13-second period and cross-onshore wind, it’s just choppy and messy. The whole first week is a grind of marginal surf, with the combined energy hanging around the 400-900 range – moderate at best, but the wind is never clean.

The real standout, and the only one I’d get excited about, is Saturday the 25th of July. The morning shows 4 ft of SSW swell with a 14-second period and a light 6 mph cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1253, which is a real step up. The afternoon holds at 5 ft with a light cross-shore wind. This is the best window we see. It’s still not perfect, but for this forecast, it’s the clear winner. The waves will have some shape and push, and the crowds are likely here – it’s a beginner reef break that’s fairly consistent, so expect some company.

Sunday the 26th of July is a decent follow-up with 3 ft to 4 ft of SSW swell and clean-ish cross-onshore winds, energy still strong at 1003-1142. The best of the rest is Monday the 27th, with 4 ft to 4 ft of SSW groundswell and offshore winds, pushing energy up to 1416 – very strong. That’s a long-range call, though, so keep an eye on it.

After that, the last few days of July and into August 1st drop off again. The swells get smaller, the periods shorten, and the energy fades back to weak or moderate levels. The winds stay cross-shore or cross-onshore, but it’s just not enough to make it worthwhile.

Bottom line: If you’re itching for a paddle, aim for the weekend of the 25th and 26th of July. Everything before that is a write-off, and the first week of August looks flat and weak. The setup here is a beach-and-reef break, so if the wind really gets up, it could be better for the kite crew than for us paddle surfers. But for now, that Saturday the 25th is your best bet – it’s promising, but not a sure thing.

Rusty.

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