Surf Forecasts:
Donuts surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SW swell with 287 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Donuts this week:
The surf forecast for Donuts over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Donuts in the next 16 days are 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Donuts over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's be straight with you—this 16-day stretch is a tough one for Donuts. We're looking at a long, quiet spell with very little on offer. The good news is there's a tiny glimmer right at the end, but you'll need patience.
The first recommendation doesn't roll in until the very last day of the month. Up until then, it's a whole lot of nothing. The forecast keeps serving up poor surf conditions with small, weak swell and generally iffy wind. The wave energy stays low, with combined energy values mostly in the low hundreds, like 126 (weak) up to 677 (moderate) right at the end. The water temperature is sitting at 70°F with an anomaly of 1°F, so it's about average for the time of year.
From August 19th through to August 31st, it's a blank run. The swell is tiny—mostly 1ft to 3ft—and the wind is often cross-on, making for choppy, messy conditions. You're not missing anything.
Then, on Monday August 31st, things just barely lift. The afternoon shows a marginal forecast with a 1 out of 10 score. Swell is 3ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, which is a groundswell, and the combined energy is 408 (moderate). The wind is light from the SW, cross-on, at 6 mph. It's still not great, but it's the best we've got. The real standout, though, is Donuts itself—a reef break that's inconsistent and rarely breaks, so any surf is notable. But with the wind being cross-on, it's not going to be clean.
September 1st and 2nd are back to poor conditions with tiny swell and no real improvement. The 3rd sees a small bump with 2ft from the SW at 15 seconds, but the wind is cross-on again.
So, to be honest, if you're looking for a proper surf, you'll be waiting a long time. The only real window is the afternoon of August 31st, with 3ft SSW groundswell and light wind. It's not a classic, but it's the only game in town. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the onshore wind and small swell.
Stay tuned, things can change, but for now, it's a dry spell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri morning, min 21°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | ||||||||||||||
PM | 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) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 291 | 217 | 211 | 211 | 153 | 142 | 116 | 84 | 109 | 217 | 220 | 173 | 154 | 233 | 252 | 137 | 222 | 216 | 206 | 203 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:28PM1.40m | 3:47PM1.37m | 8:22AM0.98m | 5:11PM1.40m | 8:19AM1.05m | 6:13PM1.49m | 8:30AM1.11m | 7:00PM1.59m | 8:44AM1.17m | 7:37PM1.68m | 9:02AM1.23m | 8:11PM1.75m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:52PM0.43m | 00:25AM0.32m | 10:00AM0.97m | 1:17AM0.21m | 12:03PM0.93m | 1:54AM0.11m | 12:58PM0.84m | 2:24AM0.03m | 1:36PM0.73m | 2:50AM-0.02m | 2:10PM0.63m | 3:15AM-0.06m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — |
 | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | W 7 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WNW 7 | W 6 | SSW 14 | W 6 | SSW 13 | W 6 | WNW 6 | SW 16 | W 6 |
| kJ | 61 | 36 | 211 | 211 | 153 | 142 | 116 | 84 | 34 | 217 | 220 | 58 | 39 | 233 | 24 | 111 | 41 | 56 | 206 | 78 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 6 | SW 12 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 291 | 217 | 38 | 28 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 12 | 51 | 30 | 26 | 114 | 154 | 23 | 252 | 137 | 222 | 216 | 96 | 133 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | W 14 | SW 19 | W 13 | WNW 12 | SW 18 | SW 17 | WNW 11 | SW 18 | WSW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 18 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 1 | 14 | 57 | 12 | 27 | 82 | 73 | 23 | 109 | 35 | 94 | 173 | 152 | 155 | 120 | 42 | 118 | 98 | 24 | 203 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | WNW 6 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | 68 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 165 | 1 | 6 | 139 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Donuts surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Donuts Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Donuts provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Donuts can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Donuts 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 (Donuts) 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 Donuts 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.
Donuts is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Coronado. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Coronado. Coronado has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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