Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s period, SSW swell with 334 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 0.9m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 5PM. 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 (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this 16-day window is a tough one for 56th St. The swell is hanging around, but the conditions just aren’t coming together. We’ve got a long stretch of onshore or cross-onshore wind messing things up, and the surf quality is poor nearly every day.
For Sunday the 16th, we’ve got a 3ft swell from the SSW with a long 16-second period. That’s a proper groundswell, and the combined energy is moderate at 410, so there’s some push there. But the wind is a cross-onshore breeze at 6 mph, putting a light ruffle on the surface. The morning might offer a brief window that’s borderline, but the afternoon picks up to a moderate breeze and becomes choppy. Not a day to get excited about.
Monday the 17th through to Saturday the 22nd is pretty much the same story – small swell dropping from 3ft down to 1ft, with cross-onshore winds and a lot of chop. The energy drops from 301 down to 124 by Saturday morning. Not worth suiting up for.
From Sunday the 23rd to Friday the 28th, the swell stays small, between 1ft and 2ft, but we finally get some periods of offshore or cross-shore wind. On Sunday morning, we get clean offshore wind from the SSW at 9 mph on a 1ft, 19-second swell. That’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s tiny. The combined energy is only 238. If you’re desperate for a glide on a log, maybe, but it’s not a real session.
The best chance in the whole outlook is Saturday the 29th. The swell bumps up to 3ft in the morning from the SSW, with a 15-second period. The combined energy jumps to 370 – moderate, but the highest we’ve seen in a while. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the WSW at 6 mph, so it’s manageable. The afternoon sees the swell hit 3ft, period 16 seconds, and energy spikes to 571, which is solid. But the wind picks up to a moderate cross-shore 12 mph from the W, creating a cross-chop. The morning session on the 29th is your best bet – it’s the standout in this flat spell.
Then Sunday the 30th gives a marginal nod, with 3ft swell and offshore wind at 6 mph in the morning, but the “marginal surf or questionable tide” warning tells me to be cautious. The energy is 403. After that, Monday the 31st fades back to small, poor conditions.
Look, this is a stretch where consistency is low and the wind is working against us. It’s not a total blank, but you have to pick your moments. The water temperature is sitting at 72°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a 5°F anomaly. That’s unusual, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.
If you’re a kite surfer, some of those afternoons with the moderate cross-onshore breeze and the small swell might offer more fun than a surfboard will. For regular surfing, wait for Saturday morning the 29th and keep your expectations mellow.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue morning, min 19°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed afternoon, min 22°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
382 | 334 | 268 | 268 | 268 | 261 | 203 | 184 | 242 | 270 | 280 | 193 | 183 | 183 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 99 | 63 | 120 | 165 | |
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 | on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 12:23PM1.54m | 00:30AM1.25m | 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 | |||||||||
Low Tide | 6:49PM0.37m | 6:32AM0.39m | 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 | |||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 20 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 24 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 7 | 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 |
382 | 334 | 268 | 268 | 268 | 51 | 44 | 28 | 242 | 270 | 280 | 193 | 183 | 183 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 99 | 63 | 120 | 165 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | S 10 | W 5 | W 6 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 5 | W 6 | SW 19 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 10 |
8 | 8 | 28 | 25 | 32 | 261 | 203 | 184 | 27 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | W 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 8 | SW 20 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 19 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 19 |
20 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 67 | 67 | 12 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 57 | 8 | 8 | 81 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 27 | 58 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 5 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 12 | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 125 | 125 | 50 | 110 | 125 | 28 | 46 | 87 | 0 | 47 | 101 | 0 | 46 | 110 | 46 | 46 | 101 | 0 | 46 | 101 | 26 |
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.











