
Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SSW swell with 1,056 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period with SW 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 (Jul 20) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 11s. 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 1.3m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Gather 'round, folks, it's Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for Doheney Beach over the next couple of weeks. Don't get too excited just yet, because the forecast is a bit of a slow burn, with a whole lot of marginal conditions and a few promising flashes much further out.
Right now, through the 20th and 21st, we've got a small, long-period groundswell arriving out of the SSW. Swell heights are only around 3 ft to 3 ft, with a period of 15 to 16 seconds. The water is sitting at 71°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. The problem is the wind. It's a light cross-onshore breeze, which is going to put a bit of a crinkle on the surface. It's surfable on a log, but far from clean. The wave energy is moderate, bouncing between 541 and 630 (units). Expect a few fun, lined-up walls thanks to the long period, but the chop will make it feel like a lot of work for not much reward.
Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd see the swell holding steady around 3 ft, still from the S and SSW, but the wind stays a persistent issue with a cross-onshore or cross-shore flow. The period starts to drop from 16 seconds down to 13 seconds. The energy is building, hitting 746 and then 863 (units) on Wednesday afternoon, but the texture is poor. The wind will be making it choppy and messy. It's a flat-out struggle for a decent wave.
Then we hit a bit of a lull. Thursday the 24th through to the 30th of July is a real mixed bag. The swell drops back to 2 ft to 4 ft, with energy fluctuating between 612 and 1168 (units). The period is all over the place, from a very long 21 seconds down to 15 seconds. The best window in this stretch is probably the morning of the 27th of July, with a clean 4 ft SSW swell and light offshore winds from the S. That's your best bet for a sneaky session, but it's still described as "marginal." It's a long wait for a short window of half-decent conditions.
Now, the real standout is still a week and a half away, and it's a bit of a gamble. The afternoon of Friday, the 31st of July, looks like a proper bump. The swell is forecast to be a solid 6 ft out of the S, with a moderate 13-second period. The wind is forecast to shift to a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW. That's the key. That combination will clean up the waves nicely. The wave energy is strong, hitting 1145 (units). This is the only session in the whole window that's flagged as "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." The swell is over 5 ft, so it's a bit too much for beginners, but for the rest of you, it's game on. Keep an eye on it, but don't book the trip yet.
After that, the 1st and 2nd of August look like a total flat spell, with swell dropping under 3 ft and the energy tanking. Then, out on Tuesday the 4th of August, we get another late surge. A 6 ft to 6 ft SSE swell with a 15-second period rolls in, producing very strong energy (1701 to 1821 units). The wind is light cross-shore from the W. That's a big, powerful swell for a beach break, and with a period that long, it might be a bit too straight and fat for the bank here. It could be a real handful, and more interesting for the kite crew than paddle surfers if the wind picks up. It's a watch-and-see.
So, plain and simple: the best-looking surf is the afternoon of Friday, July 31st, with that 6 ft S swell and clean wind. The morning of Monday, July 27th, is your next best, but it's a lot smaller. The rest of the time? You're chasing marginal, wind-affected waves. Don't hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon morning, min 20°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
298 | 367 | 334 | 519 | 474 | 559 | 400 | 399 | 946 | 772 | 683 | 782 | 669 | 590 | 664 | 584 | 445 | 1004 | 863 | 628 | 719 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:04PM1.88m | 3:40AM1.29m | 3:55PM1.89m | 5:53AM1.24m | 4:49PM1.91m | 7:39AM1.30m | 5:43PM1.94m | 8:32AM1.38m | 6:32PM2.00m | 9:04AM1.44m | 7:15PM2.08m | 9:31AM1.49m | 7:55PM2.16m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:06AM0.79m | 10:09PM0.88m | 8:44AM0.98m | 11:37PM0.77m | 9:34AM1.13m | 00:45AM0.63m | 10:48AM1.23m | 1:34AM0.51m | 12:01PM1.25m | 2:13AM0.40m | 12:57PM1.23m | 2:47AM0.31m | 1:40PM1.19m | 3:19AM0.24m | |||||||
5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
— | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 23 |
Feels °C | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
235 | 231 | 334 | 519 | 474 | 559 | 400 | 399 | 946 | 772 | 683 | 782 | 669 | 590 | 492 | 387 | 333 | 1004 | 863 | 628 | 719 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SW 16 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 16 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 26 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 12 | W 7 | SSW 11 | W 7 |
298 | 367 | 122 | 74 | 84 | 33 | 177 | 325 | 60 | 38 | 171 | 78 | 72 | 37 | 664 | 584 | 445 | 265 | 57 | 135 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | W 5 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSE 12 | W 4 | W 6 | SSW 8 | SW 19 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SSW 24 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | SSW 11 | W 7 | SSW 11 |
8 | 4 | 175 | 37 | 31 | 6 | 15 | 22 | 131 | 10 | 9 | 171 | 563 | 368 | 36 | 61 | 44 | 37 | 138 | 43 | 78 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 4 | W 4 | — | W 5 | WNW 6 | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 3 | 9 | — | 20 | 64 | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 77 | 97 | 13 | 76 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 76 | 76 | 97 | 9 | 71 | 76 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 74 |
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.










