Doheney Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.46° N 117.68° W

Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 pm 20 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Doheney Beach sea temperature is
21.6° C
1.9° 

Doheney Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Doheney Beach surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 14s period, S swell with 912 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. 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 1.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Fri 21st Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 14s
Best Surf 8AM (Mon 24th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 18s
Most Powerful 2AM (Thu 27th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Doheney Beach over the next couple of weeks.

The water is sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, 71°F to be precise, which is a couple of degrees above average and feels pretty nice. We’re starting off with a whole lot of nothing, unfortunately. The first few days are a write-off for any decent sessions. The swell is tiny and the wind is all over the place, mostly onshore or cross. The first real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday, the 23rd of August, in the afternoon. We’ve got a clean window with a light cross-offshore breeze from the west at 9 mph, and the swell is small but clean, about 2 ft from the SW with a long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is low (303), but for a point break setup, that long period groundswell will actually wrap in nicely and offer up some shape. It’s nothing to get too excited about, but it’s the first decent surf all week.

The standout period, and the best on offer across the whole outlook, is a stretch from the 26th of August through to the 4th of September. The conditions start to get interesting on Wednesday the 26th with a jump in swell. The 27th of August, Thursday morning, sees a solid 5 ft swell from the SSW with a period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is strong (1018), so there’s proper power in the water. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but that’s a solid wall for a reef break. This is expert territory, but it’s pumping.

The real highlight, though, is the 3rd and 4th of September. On Thursday the 3rd of September, the afternoon goes glassy, with a light westerly breeze and a clean 3 ft SW groundswell rolling in at a very long period of 20 seconds. The energy is moderate (642), but the wind is dead calm. That’s a recipe for perfection. Then Friday the 4th of September, the morning takes the cake: glassy conditions, zero wind, and a 4 ft SSW swell with a period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is strong (994) and it’s going to be clean as a whistle. The only downside is that this is a reef break that can get crowded, and with that quality of surf, you can expect company. For a beginner, that 4 ft is fine, but anything over 5 ft starts to get serious, and you’ll see bigger sets on these days.

There’s a big gap of poor surf from the 30th of August through the 2nd of September, with onshore winds and messy conditions, so don’t bother. The second week offers a couple of nice windows, but the 3rd and 4th are the real standouts. Keep your fingers crossed for that forecast to hold.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Tue afternoon, min 23°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
1
1
0
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
13
0.6
SSW
13
0.5
SSW
13
0.5
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
15
0.7
SSW
14
0.4
SW
19
0.5
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
17
0.6
SW
17
0.6
SW
16
0.8
S
13
1
S
13
1.4
S
13
0.9
SSW
16
1.5
S
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
175
139
137
98
92
188
218
127
155
213
197
179
222
216
219
321
683
397
912
Wind (km/h)
10
SSE
10
SW
10
WSW
0
SSE
10
WSW
15
W
0
WNW
10
WSW
20
WNW
5
WNW
10
W
15
W
5
W
10
W
10
W
15
SE
10
S
10
SSW
10
SE
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
High Tide
8:27AM1.36m
5:08PM1.83m
8:30AM1.43m
6:10PM1.91m
8:44AM1.49m
6:57PM2.01m
9:00AM1.55m
7:36PM2.10m
9:18AM1.61m
8:12PM2.17m
9:37AM1.67m
8:46PM2.20m
Low Tide
00:21AM0.65m
10:10AM1.35m
1:12AM0.53m
11:58AM1.32m
1:49AM0.43m
12:52PM1.24m
2:20AM0.34m
1:32PM1.15m
2:48AM0.27m
2:07PM1.04m
3:14AM0.24m
2:41PM0.94m
3:38AM0.25m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:16
6:16
6:18
6:18
6:18
6:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:30
7:29
7:27
7:25
7:24
7:23
 mm
Temp °C
22
24
24
23
25
25
24
26
26
24
25
26
24
26
27
25
25
25
24
Feels °C
25
26
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
25
25
25
25
26
26
26
26
26
25
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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