Doheney Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.46° N 117.68° W

Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Doheney Beach sea temperature is
24.4° C
4.9° 

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 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 17s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with 438 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 5s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s is also forecast. 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Tue 4th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 15s
Best Surf 8PM (Fri 7th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 17s
Most Powerful 5AM (Sat 8th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 18s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Doheney Beach over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off, with the models showing nothing but poor conditions day after day. It’s not until we get deep into the second week that we finally see a glimmer of something rideable. Patience is going to be the key here.

We start off on Tuesday, August 4th with tiny 1 ft of weak, long-period groundswell from the SW. The water temp is a very unusual 76°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s pumping. Winds are onshore or cross-shore, the energy is weak, and the wave comment says it all – poor. This grim pattern sticks around for days. Wednesday and Thursday are the same story: 1 ft to 2 ft, light cross-onshore breezes, and surf that’s just not worth paddling out for.

Friday the 7th through to Monday the 10th see the swell energy climb a bit, but the swell height only nudges up to 3 ft or 3 ft. The winds are still light and cross-onshore or onshore, so the surface stays a bit lumpy. The surf is still rated as poor. Tuesday the 11th is another low-energy day.

Things start to look a little more interesting around Thursday, August 13th and Friday the 14th. The swell height gets up to 2 ft, and the period stays long, between 16 and 18 seconds. The combined energy shows there’s some proper power in the water. But the catch? The winds are still cross-onshore, keeping things messy. The reports call it “marginal” at best. Saturday the 15th morning brings our first real highlight: 4 ft of SSW swell with a 16-second period and strong energy. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not glassy, but it’s the biggest swell we’ve seen. This is the standout of the whole 16 days for Doheney Beach – a proper groundswell that will have some push, but the cross-onshore breeze will stop it from being perfect.

After that, we slide back into smaller, marginal surf for Sunday and Monday. Then, on Wednesday, August 19th, we get another interesting window. The morning shows 2 ft of SSW swell with a 15-second period. The wind swings around to a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW. The report says “expect good surf conditions” and the wave state is described as “clean.” This is the second standout: the wind finally works in our favour. It’s small, but clean, lined-up waves from a long-period swell at a reef break – that’s a whole different vibe to the wind-affected slop we’ve been looking at.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a total dud. The two sessions to circle on the calendar are the morning of Saturday, August 15th for the biggest swell of the period (4 ft from the SSW), and the morning of Wednesday, August 19th for the cleanest conditions with that cross-offshore breeze. Neither is a classic, but they’re the best we’ve got. The reef at Doheney (United States) can handle a long-period SW groundswell, so keep an eye on those dates.

Stay patient, and don’t waste your time on the flat, choppy days.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
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
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.6
SW
14
0.4
SW
14
0.6
SW
14
0.5
SW
13
0.5
SW
13
0.4
SSW
18
0.6
SSW
19
0.5
SSW
19
0.8
SSW
18
0.8
SSW
17
0.8
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.5
SW
20
0.5
SW
19
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
84
77
75
160
70
125
88
85
126
292
207
348
340
295
362
309
305
297
207
186
184
Wind (km/h)
10
SSW
15
W
5
SSE
10
SSW
10
SW
0
SSW
10
SSW
10
SW
10
SSE
10
SSW
10
SW
5
SSW
10
SSW
10
WSW
10
SSE
10
SSW
10
SSW
10
SSE
10
S
10
SSW
10
SSE
Wind State
on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
High Tide
1:42PM1.90m
2:11AM1.31m
2:33PM1.95m
4:27AM1.19m
3:39PM2.01m
6:49AM1.26m
4:54PM2.11m
7:53AM1.38m
6:03PM2.24m
8:33AM1.49m
7:04PM2.37m
9:08AM1.60m
7:57PM2.46m
Low Tide
8:41PM0.85m
7:20AM0.94m
10:19PM0.74m
8:05AM1.09m
11:48PM0.55m
9:35AM1.20m
00:54AM0.34m
11:22AM1.23m
1:46AM0.15m
12:41PM1.16m
2:31AM0.01m
1:42PM1.05m
3:12AM-0.06m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:47
7:46
7:45
7:45
7:44
7:43
7:42
 mm
Temp °C
22
23
21
22
22
21
23
23
22
23
23
22
23
24
22
24
24
22
24
24
22
Feels °C
23
24
22
23
23
23
24
24
23
24
23
24
24
25
23
25
25
23
25
24
23
  • 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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