56th St Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.62° N 117.94° W

56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 13 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's 56th St sea temperature is
22.3°C
3.0° 

56th St surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


56th St surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 18s period, SW swell with 379 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 2AM (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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 2PM. 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+) 2AM (Thu 17th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 16s
Best Surf 8AM (Thu 17th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 16s
Most Powerful 2PM (Sun 20th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 18s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Hey everyone, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up—this stretch ahead for 56th St is not looking great. The whole 16-day window is filled with small, weak swell and a persistent cross-onshore wind that’s going to keep things messy. We're talking tiny waves, usually around 1ft to 3ft, coming from the SW with long periods (12 to 21 seconds). That’s a bit of a mixed bag—the long period means it’s groundswell with good energy between sets, but with this size and the wind, it’s gonna be hard to find a clean ride.

Right now, starting Sunday afternoon (September 13th) , we’ve got a 2ft SW swell with a 13-second period and a cross-on wind from the WSW at 6 mph. The water is a balmy 72°F, and it’s running about 5°F above normal—so it’s much warmer than usual for this time of year. But the wave comment says it all: "poor surf conditions." The combined energy (200) is moderate, but it’s just not clicking.

The next week is more of the same. Monday through Thursday (Sept 14-17) sees swell between 1ft and 3ft, always SW or SSW, with periods from 16 to 20 seconds. Winds stay light to gentle cross-onshore, keeping things choppy. The combined energy ticks up a bit (167 to 374), but it’s still not enough to get excited about. Every session is marked "poor surf conditions" with scores of 0.

Friday morning September 18th is the only real glimmer—a 2ft SW swell with a 19-second period, light cross-on WSW wind at 6 mph, and a combined energy of 409 (moderate). The wave comment jumps to "marginal surf forecast." But that’s about as good as it gets, and even then, it’s a maybe. The afternoon sees the wind pick up to 12 mph, and it’s back to poor.

Saturday and Sunday (Sept 19-20) hold around 2ft to 3ft, with the energy climbing to 462 on Sunday morning—that’s actually solid wave energy for this spot. But again, the wind is cross-on or onshore, and both days are rated poor. Monday September 21st afternoon sees the biggest combined energy of the whole run at 538 (moderate-strong), with a 3ft SW swell and 17-second period, and the wind is onshore from the SW at 6 mph. Still, the wave comment says "poor."

After that, Tuesday September 23rd through the end of the month is a slow fade. Swell stays tiny (2ft to 3ft), periods drop to 12-16 seconds, and the wind never really cleans up. The last few days, Sept 26-28, see a bit of an energy bump (up to 485) but with a 2ft wave and a 20-second period—that long period on a beach break means it's going to close out fast. The water’s still warm, but the surf just isn’t there.

Honestly, there’s no standout day here. If you’re desperate, Friday morning Sept 18th and Monday afternoon Sept 21st are the least bad options—still marginal. The consistent long period groundswell would normally be a plus, but without size and clean wind, it’s all frustration. For beginners, the small size (under 5ft) is fine, but the chop and cross-wind will make it tough. For experts, there's just no power to play with.

This is a tough stretch for 56th St. It’s not often we get a blank run like this, but forecasts can change, so don’t lose hope entirely.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

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

Sun
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Saturday
19
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
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SW
13
1.1
W
9
0.4
SW
18
0.4
SW
18
0.5
SW
17
0.5
SW
16
0.4
SSW
20
0.4
SW
16
0.8
SSW
18
0.7
SSW
17
0.8
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
0.6
SW
19
0.6
SW
19
0.5
SW
19
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
87
175
108
108
147
127
127
87
348
249
291
198
191
242
236
236
183
255
252
252
Wind (km/h)
10
WSW
15
SSE
15
SSE
15
S
20
SSE
15
S
15
SSW
10
S
10
S
15
WSW
5
SW
10
WSW
15
WSW
5
WSW
10
WSW
20
W
5
SW
10
S
15
WSW
5
SSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
High Tide
11:25PM1.32m
11:20AM1.65m
00:14AM1.13m
11:48AM1.58m
1:20AM0.96m
12:19PM1.49m
4:00AM0.87m
1:03PM1.39m
2:28PM1.31m
8:11AM1.08m
4:26PM1.31m
Low Tide
5:31PM0.15m
5:10AM0.44m
6:18PM0.20m
5:30AM0.61m
7:12PM0.28m
5:42AM0.76m
8:26PM0.35m
10:09PM0.37m
11:41PM0.31m
10:43AM1.06m
00:38AM0.22m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:33
6:33
6:35
6:35
6:35
6:37
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:00
7:00
6:58
6:57
6:54
6:53
6:52
 mm
Temp °C
23
22
22
22
21
22
22
20
21
21
20
20
21
20
21
22
21
21
22
21
Feels °C
24
24
21
20
21
22
21
20
21
20
20
20
20
20
21
21
21
21
22
22
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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 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.

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