Doheney Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.46° N 117.68° W

Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Doheney Beach sea temperature is
20.9° 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 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period, SSW swell with 722 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 19s 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m 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 1.4m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Sat 18th Jul)2ft (0.6m) 19s
Best Surf11PM (Sun 19th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 12s
Most Powerful 2AM (Tue 21st Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 13s

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


The Lowdown

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.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri morning, min 20°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
3
1
1
3
2
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)
0.5
SW
19
0.4
SW
18
0.6
SW
15
0.8
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.8
S
11
1.1
S
13
0.9
SW
17
1.2
S
12
1.6
SSW
12
1.1
SSW
16
1.4
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSE
14
1.1
S
13
1.1
S
13
1
S
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
181
83
137
366
255
146
401
424
389
669
589
722
387
474
474
330
325
346
423
411
305
Wind (km/h)
15
S
15
S
10
SSE
15
SSW
10
SW
10
SSE
10
SW
10
WSW
0
SSE
10
WSW
10
W
5
WNW
15
W
15
WNW
10
WNW
20
W
25
WNW
5
SSW
10
SW
10
WSW
10
SSE
Wind State
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
12:51PM1.80m
00:07AM2.01m
1:33PM1.84m
1:01AM1.74m
2:17PM1.86m
2:06AM1.48m
3:04PM1.88m
3:40AM1.29m
3:55PM1.89m
5:53AM1.24m
4:49PM1.91m
7:39AM1.30m
5:43PM1.94m
Low Tide
6:14PM0.94m
6:54AM0.36m
7:21PM0.95m
7:30AM0.58m
8:38PM0.94m
8:06AM0.79m
10:09PM0.88m
8:44AM0.98m
11:37PM0.77m
9:34AM1.13m
00:45AM0.63m
10:48AM1.23m
1:34AM0.51m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:54
5:54
5:54
5:56
5:56
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:00
8:00
7:59
7:59
7:58
7:57
7:57
 mm
Temp °C
22
22
21
21
21
21
22
22
21
23
24
23
24
25
23
23
23
21
23
23
22
Feels °C
22
22
22
22
21
23
23
22
22
23
24
23
24
22
23
23
21
21
25
23
24
  • Map Icons:
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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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