Donuts Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.67° N 117.25° W

Donuts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 07 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Donuts sea temperature is
21.7°C
1.4° 

Donuts surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Donuts surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period, SSW swell with 536 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 17s 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Donuts in the next 16 days are 1.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Wed 9th Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 17s
Best Surf11PM (Wed 9th Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 17s
Most Powerful 2AM (Tue 8th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, I’m gonna level with ya. It’s a tough stretch ahead for Donuts. I’ve scanned the whole 16-day window and honestly, I can’t find a session that I’d paddle out for. We’re looking at a long, flat, or messy run with nothing that hits the mark. Let’s walk through it.

Right now, Monday afternoon the 7th, we’ve got a 5 ft SSW swell pushing through, but it’s sloppy. That southerly groundswell has a nice 12-second period, so there’s some energy in the water – combined energy is 822 – but it’s all ruined by a cross-onshore breeze at 16 mph from the NW. The water’s sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only highlight. The waves are chopped up and poor.

From Tuesday the 8th all the way through to Sunday the 22nd, it’s the same sad story. The swell drops and stays between 2 ft and 4 ft, mostly from the SW or W. The period swings around – we see some long-period SW groundswells (16 to 19 seconds) on the 9th, 10th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th, and 20th, which at a reef setup like Donuts should mean cleaner lines, but the wind is almost always cross-onshore or cross, keeping things choppy and poor. Even on the rare occasions, like Thursday morning the 17th, when the wind is light and directly onshore, the waves are barely 3 ft and still considered poor. The combined energy stays moderate, mostly in the 300s and 400s, peaking around 661 on Monday the 21st, but without clean wind, it’s just a waste.

Donuts is an inconsistent spot anyway – it needs the stars to align – and they just don’t. For a reef that likes a good SW groundswell with clean offshore winds, we’re getting the swell but not the wind. There are a couple of “marginal” tags on Wednesday afternoon the 9th, Monday morning the 14th, and Thursday morning the 17th, but even those are not worth the drive. The 9th has a 2 ft SW groundswell with 16-second period and light winds, but it’s rainy and cross-onshore – too small and messy to get excited about.

So, plain and simple: don’t bother. It’s a blank run for Donuts. Keep an eye on the forecasts – it can’t stay this ugly forever. But for now, leave the board in the car.

- Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
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
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
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)
1.6
SSW
12
1.5
SSW
11
1
SSW
10
1
SSW
10
0.9
SSW
9
0.6
SW
16
0.7
SW
16
0.8
SW
17
0.9
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
0.9
SW
15
0.9
SW
15
0.8
SW
15
0.8
SW
14
0.7
SW
14
0.6
SW
14
1.1
W
8
1.1
W
9
1.1
W
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
797
536
212
208
151
214
267
342
437
416
406
395
365
255
248
200
158
161
177
181
Wind (km/h)
25
NW
15
NNW
20
NW
15
NNW
10
NW
15
WNW
10
SW
5
SW
15
SSW
15
SSW
15
S
20
S
20
SSW
10
SW
15
SW
10
WSW
5
SSW
15
SSW
10
SW
5
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
7:00PM1.85m
8:25AM1.38m
7:49PM1.91m
8:53AM1.49m
8:34PM1.91m
9:23AM1.59m
9:16PM1.83m
9:52AM1.66m
9:56PM1.71m
10:21AM1.70m
10:37PM1.55m
10:50AM1.70m
11:19PM1.36m
Low Tide
2:13AM-0.19m
1:52PM0.49m
2:48AM-0.20m
2:37PM0.34m
3:20AM-0.15m
3:19PM0.23m
3:49AM-0.05m
4:01PM0.16m
4:17AM0.08m
4:42PM0.14m
4:42AM0.24m
5:24PM0.16m
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:26
6:28
6:28
6:28
6:30
6:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:06
7:04
7:02
7:01
7:00
6:59
6:58
 mm
2
2
Temp °C
26
25
26
26
25
25
24
23
22
22
21
21
21
21
20
20
19
20
20
20
Feels °C
25
25
25
25
24
25
24
25
24
21
22
21
20
22
20
19
19
19
19
21
  • 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 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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