Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, this time in feet and Fahrenheit for the same stretch.

The water at Doheney Beach is sitting at a balmy 75°, which is nearly 8° warmer than normal for this time of year. You’ll be surfing in board shorts, no doubt.

Over the next 16 days, we’ve got a long, flat-feeling start that lasts more than a week. The swell stays small, mostly in the 2 to 3 ft range, with periods around 10 to 12 seconds. The combined energy is mostly weak to moderate (322 to 762 range). Winds are often cross or onshore, putting a little wind bump on the surface. Nothing worth calling in sick for.

The first real chance for a clean ride comes on the afternoon of September 1st, with a 3 ft southerly swell and a clean cross-off breeze out of the WNW at 12 mph. The energy is still low (346). The morning of September 2nd is similar—3 ft, southerly, 12-second period, clean with a light cross-off. It’s small but rideable.

Then, on Tuesday, September 8th, it all changes. The morning brings a proper 7 ft SSW groundswell with a 13-second period, and the energy jumps to 1396—that’s moderate to strong. Wind is WNW at 9 mph, clean and cross-off. This is the highlight. The afternoon holds at 7 ft with 1506 energy and the same clean conditions. This is for experienced surfers only; it’s too big for beginners.

After that, the swell drops fast. The 9th sees 6 ft (751 energy) but the period drops to 10 seconds, and it gets a bit bumpy with a cross-shore breeze. The 10th and 11th are poor: onshore winds, fading swell. By the 12th, it’s down to 2 ft (298 energy). The 13th bumps back to 5 ft (over 1000 energy), but the wind is cross-onshore and the direction shifts to SSE, so it won’t be clean.

Bottom line: the 8th of September is your one true standout. Clean, solid groundswell with an offshore breeze. Everything else is small or messy. Doheney Beach is a reef that needs the right combo, and this forecast is mostly about waiting for the 8th.

Rusty.

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