Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got on the cards for the next couple of weeks down at Doheney Beach. Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a bit of a flat spell to kick things off, and the overall picture is pretty marginal. There’s no real standout period where everything clicks, but we’ll pick out the sessions that might just get you wet.

The first surf worth paddling out for shows up on Monday, July 6th in the afternoon. We’re looking at a modest 2 ft SSW groundswell with a very long period of 20 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy, and with 659 (moderate wave energy) pushing through, there’ll be some shape, but these long-period swells can be a bit tricky on a beach-and-reef setup like this – they tend to run a bit straight. The wind is cross-shore from the west at 12 mph, so not perfect, but rideable. The water's sitting at 68°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Moving into Tuesday, July 7th, the morning looks like the pick of the entire run. Swell bumps up to 4 ft, still from the SSW, with an 18-second period and energy hitting 853 (moderate). The wind is light from the SSW at 6 mph, but it's cross-on, so there’ll be a bit of bump. Still, it's the best combo of size and energy we see. The afternoon glassed off a little but stays cross-shore.

Wednesday, July 8th is similar in size (3-4 ft), but the wind goes light and offshore in the morning. That’s a window for clean little waves, but with shorter 16-second period, the juice isn’t as strong. Don't expect much push.

From Thursday, July 9th through to Sunday, July 12th, the swell drops into the 3 ft to 3 ft range, and the wind turns onshore or cross-on. It gets pretty messy. Honestly, the scores are low here – this is a stretch where you’d be better off checking something else or waiting. The energy numbers slide down into the 300s and 400s (weak to moderate).

Monday, July 13th sees a small pulse of 3 ft SSW swell with light cross-on winds, but the period drops to 13 seconds. It’s a marginal call at best. The setup ain’t going to offer much.

Then we hit a dead zone from Tuesday, July 14th through Thursday, July 16th. Swell heights are tiny, mostly 1 ft to 2 ft, with some wind chop. The energy drops into the 100s and 200s (weak). There’s nothing worth a paddle here. A multi-day gap of poor conditions.

Friday, July 17th brings a tiny bit of hope with a 2 ft swell but a long 19-second period. The wind is cross-shore, but there’s just not enough size. Energy at 306 (weak).

Late in the outlook, on Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th, we see a bit more energy building: 3 ft to 4 ft swell, with stronger energy numbers in the 700s and 800s (moderate). But the wind is onshore from the SSE or S at 9-12 mph, blowing straight into the face. That makes it choppy and poor. With the swell over 3 ft but bad wind, the better call might be to let the kites have it. Not great for a paddle surfer.

So where’s the best? Honestly, Tuesday morning, July 7th is the standout, if you can call it that. The 4 ft SSW groundswell with 18-second period and moderate energy (853) is the most swell we see with the best conditions. It’s not perfect, but it's the closest we get to a clean window. Crowds are *often* a problem at Doheney Beach, so expect company. After that, things get grim. For the second week, it’s a mix of onshore junk and tiny surf – nothing to write home about. Long-range is looking like a bust, but forecasts change.

Stay patient, check the cam, and don’t force it.
- Rusty

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