Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with 310 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 56th St this week:
The surf forecast for 56th St 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 56th St in the next 16 days are 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| 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 (Mon 24th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. It’s a pretty flat and forgettable stretch coming up for our stretch of coast. The ocean’s just not delivering any real push for a while, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board. We’re looking at a long, quiet period before anything even gets close to worth your time.
The first week is basically a write-off. Day after day, we’re seeing the same story: small, weak swell running 3ft to 3ft, and the energy behind it is just sad. Most days, the wind is light but it’s cross-onshore or straight onshore, which is enough to chop up what little is there. Sure, there might be the odd clean-ish morning, like on the 18th and 19th with the light southerly winds, but the swell is just too small and weak to do anything with. You’d be fighting for dribbles. We’re looking at combined wave energy values in the 150 to 340 range, which is weak, just to give you an idea. Even when a slightly longer period swell tries to show up on the 23rd, the height is only 1ft, so it’s all for nothing. This isn't a time for surfing; it's a time to watch the horizon and maybe get other stuff done.
We carry on through the 24th, 25th, and 26th with more of the same weak, cross-onshore junk. There are some windows where the wind looks like it might lay down, but the swell just isn’t there to back it up. You’re looking at 2ft to 2ft waves and energy still stuck in that weak 200-340 range. It’s a frustrating pattern. The morning of the 28th is the only glimmer of something, with a light offshore wind and a 2ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, but it’s too inconsistent and the energy is still low. It’ll be a struggle to even find a rideable ripple.
The wait, though, is finally looking like it could pay off at the very end of the month. Starting on the 29th of August, we see a pulse of energy arrive. The swell jumps to 3ft and the combined energy cranks up to 561, the strongest we’ve seen in this whole window. The wind is still not perfect, but it’s light enough on the morning that it could be clean. The morning of the 30th is your best bet, with a similar 3ft SSW swell and light winds, giving you a real shot at a few fun, crumbly waves. It’s still not big, but after a week of nothing, it’ll feel like a gift. This is where you should be, but keep expectations in check. The period through the 31st and into the 1st of September holds similar energy, but the wind starts to get a bit more cross-onshore again.
For this, the standout window is really the morning of the 30th of August. It’s the most complete package of the whole forecast: the biggest, most consistent swell, light offshore wind, and solid energy. The break itself is 56th St, a very consistent spot. Just know that it is sheltered, and with this size, it’s an intermediate level wave. A heads-up, the water is running 72°, which is 5° warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s pretty toasty.
The long-range stuff on the 29th, 30th, and into the 1st of September looks promising, but remember, we’re a week and a half out, so treat it as a hope rather than a certainty. There's nothing for the beginners in this window; the waves are not the issue, it's just a lack of any real size to push you around.
Alright, that’s the story. It’s a long, slow grind, but there’s a little reward waiting at the end if you’re patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 19°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
268 | 268 | 261 | 203 | 181 | 242 | 270 | 280 | 196 | 183 | 186 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 98 | 63 | 120 | 165 | 127 | 112 | 210 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | on |
High Tide | 12:58PM1.51m | 1:32AM1.02m | 1:38PM1.46m | 3:19AM0.85m | 2:30PM1.41m | 3:46PM1.38m | 8:37AM0.99m | 5:09PM1.41m | 8:34AM1.06m | 6:13PM1.49m | 8:46AM1.11m | 7:00PM1.58m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 7:53PM0.41m | 6:55AM0.59m | 9:18PM0.42m | 7:10AM0.76m | 11:03PM0.38m | 00:27AM0.28m | 10:23AM0.99m | 1:20AM0.17m | 12:15PM0.95m | 1:59AM0.08m | 1:06PM0.87m | 2:29AM0.00m | |||||||||
6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Feels °C | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 |
268 | 268 | 47 | 41 | 41 | 242 | 270 | 280 | 196 | 183 | 186 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 98 | 63 | 120 | 165 | 99 | 98 | 210 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
25 | 32 | 261 | 203 | 181 | 39 | 42 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 81 | 49 | 51 | 42 | 55 | 58 | 127 | 112 | 155 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 9 | SW 20 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | S 10 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 12 | W 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 10 |
8 | 8 | 2 | 67 | 66 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 57 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 49 | 60 | 27 | 6 | 86 | 50 | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 5 | W 4 |
— | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 5 | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 125 | 125 | 14 | 47 | 87 | 0 | 46 | 125 | 0 | 46 | 47 | 28 | 46 | 164 | 0 | 47 | 110 | 0 | 46 | 46 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the 56th St Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for 56th St provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at 56th St can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our 56th St 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 (56th St) 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 56th St 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.
56th St is 2 km (1 miles) from the city of Newport Beach. If you plan a vacation in Orange County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Newport Beach. Newport Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











