Surf Forecasts:
Donuts surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with 560 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s 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 (Aug 19) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Donuts in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) 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 (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Donuts over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. Donuts is looking flat-out average for the next couple of weeks. A long stretch of weak, messy, onshore surf – most days you’re looking at knee-to-waist high slop, with the combined energy stuck in the low hundreds (around 200–400). There’s a late pulse in there, but it comes with its own headaches.
From Saturday the 15th through the 24th, expect waves around 2ft to 4ft – mostly from the SW, with periods between 13 and 16 seconds. There’s some groundswell in there, but the onshore and cross-onshore winds are chopping it all up. Water temp’s about 73°, which is a solid 5° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a big outlier, so it’s going to feel warm.
The only decent bit in this stretch is Sunday the 23rd in the afternoon. Wind drops to glassy, with a tiny 2ft SSW swell at 13 seconds. It’s surfable, but just barely – "very ordinary" sums it up. Then Monday the 24th afternoon is glassy again, with a 2ft south swell at a long 20 seconds, and the energy ticks up (469). Still small, and Donuts is inconsistent, so don’t hold your breath.
The standout – and this is about a week and a half out, so call it promising but not locked – is around Tuesday the 25th. The swell jumps to 5-6ft from the south with a 15-16 second period, and the combined energy goes strong – 1546 on Tuesday morning, 1468 in the afternoon. That’s real groundswell. But the wind’s onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s going to be messy. Wednesday the 26th keeps that size – 6ft in the morning, 6ft in the afternoon – energy still strong (1142 and 1032), but the wind from the SSW is cross or cross-on. Thursday the 27th holds at 6ft, but again the wind’s not clean.
At that size, it’s for experienced surfers only – anything over 5ft is beyond beginner territory. With the onshore wind, it’s going to be lumpy and hard to read. The 15-16 second period means plenty of power, and the longer sets will make paddling out easier, but if there’s any beach break, it could close out. This is a tough window to love.
After that, it fades. Friday the 28th drops to 5ft, then it’s back under 4ft through the 29th and 30th with onshore winds and energy falling back to the 400-600 range. So, really, the only shot at something decent is that Tuesday-to-Thursday push late next week. Not going to be epic, but it’s the biggest and most powerful swell of the whole run. If the wind straightens out, it could surprise you.
Otherwise, it’s a dull couple of weeks for Donuts. Inconsistent, small, and mostly blown out. But with that warm water and a bit of luck, forecasts can change. Stay tuned.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Tue afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
560 | 546 | 444 | 350 | 350 | 297 | 245 | 231 | 208 | 144 | 258 | 291 | 291 | 217 | 211 | 211 | 153 | 116 | 116 | 84 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | on | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:37PM1.52m | 12:17PM1.55m | 00:24AM1.28m | 12:53PM1.51m | 1:21AM1.05m | 1:34PM1.45m | 2:52AM0.87m | 2:28PM1.40m | 3:47PM1.37m | 8:22AM0.98m | 5:11PM1.40m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 5:47PM0.33m | 6:00AM0.17m | 6:39PM0.37m | 6:26AM0.37m | 7:39PM0.43m | 6:49AM0.56m | 8:59PM0.46m | 7:04AM0.73m | 10:52PM0.43m | 00:25AM0.32m | 10:00AM0.97m | 1:17AM0.21m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | W 6 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 8 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 |
560 | 546 | 444 | 350 | 350 | 297 | 245 | 64 | 86 | 83 | 88 | 291 | 291 | 217 | 211 | 211 | 153 | 116 | 116 | 84 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | W 4 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 15 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 17 | WNW 7 |
20 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 36 | 47 | 231 | 208 | 144 | 258 | 63 | 63 | 41 | 19 | 27 | 14 | 20 | 73 | 15 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | S 10 | W 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | S 9 | SW 13 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 20 | S 8 | W 14 | SW 19 | W 13 | WNW 12 | SW 18 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 |
10 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 82 | 135 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 14 | 57 | 13 | 27 | 50 | 23 | 23 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | WNW 4 | W 5 | W 5 | W 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — |
7 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 40 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











