
Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with 629 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 19s 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 11) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. 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 1.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 2AM. 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 (Tue 11th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a long look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it's a rough stretch. We've got a classic summer lull settling in, and the surf is looking pretty weak and messy for the foreseeable future. There are no standout days, no big swells to get excited about. It's just a long, flat spell of small, choppy waves.
We do have one spot on the radar, 56th St. It's a sheltered break that usually handles a south-west swell, and it's very consistent, which is about the only positive I can find. But the problem is the quality. Right from the start on Monday the 10th of August, it's a no-go with poor surf and cross-onshore winds. That same story just keeps repeating.
The water is the first thing to notice. It's 73°F right now, which is a massive 6°F warmer than normal. That's very unusual – you're basically swimming in bathwater.
We go right through the first week, from Monday the 10th right through to Sunday the 16th, and it's just poor conditions. The swell is tiny, barely pushing 2ft to 3ft, and the period is shockingly short for most of it – under 8 seconds. That's pure local wind chop. The combined energy readings hover in the moderate range, like 232 to 566, but the nature of the swell is all wrong. The winds are mostly a light cross-onshore breeze, which just messes up any chance of a clean face. Even when we get a small bump in energy on Friday the 14th afternoon (513) and Saturday the 15th afternoon (566), the surf report is still "poor surf conditions". It's frustrating.
Then the second week rolls in, and it's more of the same. From Monday the 17th through to Tuesday the 25th of August, it's a total desert. The swell doesn't even crack 3ft, the period stays short to mediocre, and the winds keep blowing from the wrong angle. The energy numbers drop off a cliff, too – dipping down to just 128 on Saturday the 22nd, which is weak. There's a tiny glimmer on Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th where the period stretches to 18 seconds from the SW, which is a bit of pulse, but it's only 1ft to 2ft. That's barely a ripple. It’s a classic case of a long-period swell that just doesn't have any size behind it.
Look, this break is very consistent, it rarely goes flat, but the quality just isn't there. With such small, weak, and wind-affected surf, this stretch of weather looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. For the next 16 days, there's nothing here worth your time. A blank run like this is pretty normal for this area during a settled summer pattern.
Keep the board waxed and the water warm – maybe do some repairs. The forecasts can always change, but for now, it's a hard pass.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 20°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 19°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
163 | 139 | 184 | 95 | 154 | 207 | 143 | 208 | 206 | 201 | 248 | 239 | 197 | 280 | 629 | 302 | 532 | 519 | 419 | 372 | 268 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:06AM1.20m | 7:54PM2.03m | 9:38AM1.29m | 8:43PM2.07m | 10:11AM1.38m | 9:28PM2.02m | 10:43AM1.45m | 10:13PM1.91m | 11:16AM1.50m | 10:56PM1.72m | 11:49AM1.53m | 11:41PM1.49m | 12:23PM1.54m | 00:30AM1.25m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:49PM0.66m | 3:18AM-0.39m | 2:40PM0.54m | 3:56AM-0.39m | 3:29PM0.44m | 4:31AM-0.32m | 4:16PM0.37m | 5:05AM-0.19m | 5:04PM0.34m | 5:36AM-0.02m | 5:54PM0.34m | 6:05AM0.18m | 6:49PM0.37m | ||||||||
6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 23 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
163 | 139 | 99 | 95 | 154 | 207 | 143 | 208 | 206 | 201 | 248 | 239 | 171 | 280 | 629 | 302 | 532 | 519 | 419 | 372 | 268 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 19 | SW 14 | S 9 | SW 14 | S 11 | W 5 | W 5 | S 10 | W 6 |
65 | 97 | 184 | 33 | 57 | 28 | 27 | 47 | 27 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 197 | 169 | 27 | 151 | 21 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 12 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SSW 22 | SSW 20 | S 10 | SSW 11 | W 11 | W 5 | W 11 | S 11 | S 11 | W 10 | SW 11 |
3 | 39 | 20 | 50 | 75 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 29 | 23 | 45 | 151 | 35 | 64 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 41 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | SW 9 | — | W 5 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | W 4 | — | W 5 | W 5 | — | W 5 | — |
1 | 12 | — | 1 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 8 | — | 11 | 25 | — | 12 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 125 | 125 | 14 | 125 | 125 | 0 | 125 | 125 | 2 | 46 | 120 | 14 | 125 | 110 | 36 | 125 | 101 | 27 | 125 | 87 | 7 |
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.











