Surf Forecasts:
Doheney Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 402 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period with SSW 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. 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 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Doheney Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Doheney Beach. The whole 16-day window is a real mixed bag, and honestly, the surf is pretty marginal for most of it. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak energy with onshore winds, so don’t get your hopes up for any epic sessions.
The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there.
Things kick off on Tuesday, 18th August, but it’s nothing to write home about. We’re looking at a 2ft SSW swell, but it’s coming from the wrong direction, and the wind is cross-on. The combined energy is weak (398), and the period is a very long 16 seconds, which for a beach break means it’ll be a bit too straight and fat. Honestly, it’s a real struggle to get a clean wave.
This pattern holds through the week. The swell stays tiny, mostly between 2ft and 3ft, and the wind is almost always a light cross or cross-on breeze. The energy is weak, never breaking out of the 100-200 range. The period is often long, which isn't ideal for the beach break here. Wednesday, 19th, and Thursday, 20th, are both poor, with the 20th seeing a direct onshore wind that kills it completely.
We get a bit of a break on Tuesday, 25th August afternoon. The swell is still only 2ft from the SW, but the wind switches to a light cross-off breeze from the WNW. The water gets clean. The period is a solid 16 seconds, so there’s some push, but the energy is still moderate (336). It’s the most promising window in the first week, but it’s still very small.
The next standout is Friday, 28th August. Again, the swell is small at 2ft from the SSW, but the wind is a clean cross-off from the WNW, making for a nice, glassy surface. The energy is moderate (332). This is your best bet for a clean, cruisy session, but it’s not for big waves.
Saturday, 29th August morning, sees a jump in the combined energy to 722 (strong), with a 3ft SSW swell. The period is a very long 17 seconds. The problem is the wind is directly onshore, so the quality will be a messy, choppy mess. The afternoon is better with a cross-shore wind, but the energy is still high (697).
Sunday, 30th August, is a no-go. The wind is a moderate onshore breeze at 12 mph, and the swell is 4ft, but the conditions are poor. The energy is very strong (748), but it’s just blown out. This setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than for paddle surfing.
The very end of the run, into early September, fades back to tiny, weak, and onshore. A real flat spell.
So, the only true standouts are the afternoons of Tuesday, 25th August, and Friday, 28th August. The waves are small, but the clean, offshore wind will make it a fun, uncrowded session. The Saturday the 29th morning has the most size, but the wind ruins it. For the rest, it’s a long wait.
Stay patient, lads and lasses.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
261 | 232 | 243 | 275 | 377 | 314 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 173 | 139 | 137 | 98 | 90 | 188 | 218 | 127 | 155 | 213 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 1:39AM1.37m | 1:44PM1.88m | 3:28AM1.21m | 2:36PM1.83m | 3:49PM1.80m | 8:27AM1.36m | 5:08PM1.83m | 8:30AM1.43m | 6:10PM1.91m | 8:44AM1.49m | 6:57PM2.01m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:49AM0.96m | 9:19PM0.80m | 7:04AM1.13m | 11:01PM0.75m | 00:21AM0.65m | 10:10AM1.35m | 1:12AM0.53m | 11:58AM1.32m | 1:49AM0.43m | 12:52PM1.24m | 2:20AM0.34m | ||||||||
— | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 24 |
Feels °C | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 |
42 | 52 | 52 | 275 | 377 | 314 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 173 | 139 | 137 | 98 | 90 | 188 | 218 | 99 | 98 | 213 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 6 | WNW 11 | WNW 7 | W 6 | W 10 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 5 |
261 | 232 | 243 | 51 | 59 | 41 | 21 | 26 | 16 | 12 | 81 | 7 | 39 | 15 | 13 | 48 | 18 | 155 | 20 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 9 | SW 20 | S 8 | SSW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | S 10 | W 6 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 16 | SW 18 |
7 | 114 | 98 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 31 | 57 | 57 | 8 | 12 | 47 | 47 | 50 | 27 | 58 | 127 | 50 | 199 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 77 | 97 | 0 | 23 | 97 | 0 | 76 | 97 | 0 | 74 | 97 | 3 | 74 | 97 | 0 | 97 | 97 | 0 |
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.











