Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SSW swell with 877 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s 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 (Aug 24) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 14s. 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let's have a look at the next couple of weeks at Doheney Beach.
Honestly, the first few days are going to be a bit of a grind. The waves are small and a little all over the place, with that SSW swell getting tangled up with the light cross-onshore breezes. It’s the kind of surf that’s hard to get excited about, mostly ankle to knee-high junk. There's a bit of clean-up on Tuesday afternoon the 25th with the wind turning cross-offshore, but the swell is still weak. It’s not really worth rushing out for unless you’re desperate and just want to get wet.
We do see a pulse of south swell building on Wednesday the 26th, with wave heights jumping to about 4.6ft and the energy climbing, but the wind swings straight onshore. That's a heartbreaker, mate, it's going to chop it all up. That onshore wind sticks around for a few days, making things messy, even though the swell tries to hold on. Thursday and the weekend are looking pretty average, the wind being the main issue.
There are a few windows where the wind lightens up and goes cross-offshore, like late Saturday afternoon the 29th and again on Tuesday the 3rd of September. Those will be your cleanest options, but the swell is still modest, around 3.6ft, and the energy is only moderate. It’ll be rideable but far from epic. The period does get up into the 16-17 second range on those days, so there's a bit of push behind it, but the size keeps it from being anything special.
Now, let’s talk about the standout. It’s a bit of a wait, but Thursday afternoon, the 4th of September, looks like the pick of the fortnight. The swell is back to about 4ft from the SSW with a solid 16-second period, and the energy is strong. Best of all, the wind is forecast to be a clean cross-offshore breeze. That’s the combo you want. The waves should have some proper shape to them, with lined-up shoulders and a bit of grunt. It’s not huge, but it will be clean and fun.
After that, the onshores come back for the weekend and the windows get smaller. We do see one last pulse of bigger, short-period swell (8.2ft, 8 seconds) showing up on Tuesday the 8th. That’s a lot of water moving, and the energy is very strong, but that combo of size and short period at a beach break is going to be a washing machine. That’s expert-only territory with the potential for some heavy, shut-down waves. For most, this setup is going to look more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers. It's a messy, powerful close-out.
So, to sum it all up: don't bother for the first week and a half. The best bet on offer is that Thursday the 4th; mark it in your calendar but keep expectations in check for long-range. The long period makes it better suited to a reef like this, so there should be some fun ones to be had.
It’s been real. Get out there when you can.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Tue afternoon, min 23°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
213 | 197 | 179 | 270 | 216 | 208 | 277 | 584 | 529 | 426 | 300 | 247 | 270 | 351 | 289 | 742 | 587 | 627 | 604 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:00AM1.55m | 7:36PM2.10m | 9:18AM1.61m | 8:12PM2.17m | 9:37AM1.67m | 8:46PM2.20m | 9:57AM1.75m | 9:20PM2.17m | 10:19AM1.82m | 9:55PM2.09m | 10:42AM1.90m | 10:32PM1.96m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:20AM0.34m | 1:32PM1.15m | 2:48AM0.27m | 2:07PM1.04m | 3:14AM0.24m | 2:41PM0.94m | 3:38AM0.25m | 3:17PM0.85m | 4:02AM0.29m | 3:53PM0.77m | 4:25AM0.38m | 4:33PM0.70m | 4:48AM0.50m | ||||||
— | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 24 |
Feels °C | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | W 8 |
213 | 197 | 179 | 270 | 216 | 170 | 277 | 584 | 529 | 426 | 300 | 247 | 196 | 134 | 102 | 742 | 587 | 627 | 196 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | W 6 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | W 7 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 6 | SW 14 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 19 | S 8 | W 8 | W 9 | SSW 16 |
199 | 16 | 82 | 126 | 126 | 111 | 161 | 43 | 196 | 171 | 30 | 102 | 270 | 351 | 289 | 71 | 90 | 106 | 604 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | SSW 12 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 14 | W 8 | SW 13 | W 11 | SW 14 | W 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 |
12 | 89 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 208 | 203 | 203 | 29 | 12 | 132 | 36 | 87 | 61 | 149 | 53 | 67 | 57 | 22 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 74 | 194 | 0 | 62 | 0 | 32 | 74 | 76 | 0 | 74 | 76 | 0 | 74 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 32 |
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.











