Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you how it’s looking for Doheney Beach. It’s a bit of a quiet stretch ahead, to be honest. The start of the run is pretty lackluster, but there’s a glimmer or two later on if you’re patient.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a real tough opening. Monday the 17th through to about Thursday the 22nd, the surf is barely ticking over. We’re looking at small, weak swell mostly around 1.5 ft to 3 ft from the SSW, with a combined energy that just doesn’t have any punch (mostly in the 300s to low 400s). The winds are a mix of cross and onshore, so it’s not clean. Monday morning has some cross-chop, and the water temp is sitting at a very unusual 73.2°, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year – that’s a solid 5.8° above average, so it’s a noticeable one.

Tuesday the 18th sees a little bump in period, hitting 16 to 17 seconds, which is proper groundswell, but the height is only 2.3 ft. That long period on a beach-reef setup like Doheney can sometimes make things a bit too straight, and the winds aren’t helping. Wednesday the 19th is similar, with the swell energy climbing a touch (454 on the morning), but again, the wind is cross-onshore, so expect some small ripples on the face. Honestly, for the first week, there’s nothing that really gets the heart racing.

Then we hit a bit of a lull. Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are basically flat or poor, with energy dropping into the 100s and 200s. It’s a real blank run for a few days. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are still small, but there’s a slight uptick in period on Sunday (18-19 seconds), which brings a bit more shape, but the size is still tiny.

The real highlight, the one that stands out as the best on offer, is Tuesday the 25th afternoon. We finally see a decent window: clean conditions with a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW at 9 mph. The swell is a small 2 ft from the SW, but the period is 16 seconds, so there’s some energy there (286). It’s a beginner-friendly size, and the wind will make it glassy. That’s your pick of the whole period. Wednesday the 26th afternoon is similar, but the energy is a touch lower.

Looking further out into the end of August and the start of September, there’s a bit more life. From the 29th of August into the 31st, we see the swell picking up to 3 ft from the SSW, with the energy jumping significantly into the 500s and 600s. That’s moderate wave energy. The period is 15 to 17 seconds, so it’s got some push. However, the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so it won’t be as clean as that Tuesday afternoon. It’s promising, but less certain that far out. Tuesday the 1st of September is more of the same, with energy still in the 500s, but the onshore wind keeps it from being a standout.

So, bottom line: don’t expect much for the first week. If you’ve got a shortboard and don’t mind small, long-period groundswell, the window on Tuesday the 25th afternoon and maybe Wednesday the 26th afternoon is your best bet for a clean, fun little session. Crowds are often around Doheney, so expect company. After that, the end of the month has more size, but you’ll be dealing with bumpier conditions.

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