
Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 414 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period with SW 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s is also forecast. 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 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 8AM. 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+) | 8AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s happening at 56th St over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch for paddle surfing. This is a sheltered spot that needs a good swell from the southwest to really wake up, and while we do see some energy pushing in, the wind is almost always ruining the party.
The swell window is open, and we’ve got some moderate wave energy coming through, with combined energy readings often in the 300s and 400s (that’s moderate energy), and even a spike of 984 on Sunday, September 20th, which is strong. But don’t get too excited – the wind is a constant problem. It’s almost always cross-on or onshore, and even when it’s light, it’s just enough to mess up the face.
For the first few days, Tuesday, September 8th sees the best of a bad bunch in the morning. Swell is 3 ft from the SSW at 10 seconds, with a light cross breeze (10 km/h). It’s marginal, but you could get a couple. That combined energy of 444 is decent, but the quality is poor by the afternoon as the wind picks up. Through Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the swell drops off and the wind stays ugly – honestly, it’s not worth paddling out.
We’ve got a bit of a gap here, with really nothing clean on offer until we look further out. The most promising window shows up around Sunday, September 20th. The morning sees 3 ft of SW swell at 19 seconds – that’s a very long period groundswell, which will wrap in here nicely. The wind is light and onshore, but it’s glassy early. That’s your best bet, but you’ll need to be out at first light before the breeze gets up. The energy is strong (984), so there will be power, but this is still a break where the quality is easily blown out.
Honestly, if you’re keen on paddle surfing, you’re looking at a few marginal windows, mainly on the 20th and 21st of September mornings. With the persistent cross-off and onshore wind, this setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a surfer on a longboard. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The conditions stay pretty poor, with the swell staying small and the wind never quite getting right.
Stay patient, keep an eye on that Sunday the 20th, and fingers crossed the wind plays ball.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue morning, min 23°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu night, min 20°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
280 | 195 | 180 | 130 | 127 | 219 | 295 | 414 | 371 | 358 | 349 | 262 | 217 | 169 | 138 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 149 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:36AM1.37m | 7:50PM1.90m | 9:03AM1.47m | 8:35PM1.89m | 9:31AM1.57m | 9:18PM1.81m | 9:59AM1.64m | 10:00PM1.68m | 10:26AM1.68m | 10:42PM1.51m | 10:53AM1.68m | 11:25PM1.32m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:15AM-0.22m | 1:55PM0.53m | 2:51AM-0.22m | 2:40PM0.37m | 3:23AM-0.16m | 3:23PM0.25m | 3:53AM-0.06m | 4:06PM0.17m | 4:21AM0.09m | 4:48PM0.14m | 4:47AM0.26m | 5:31PM0.15m | |||||||
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 28 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 10 |
238 | 195 | 180 | 105 | 44 | 219 | 295 | 414 | 371 | 358 | 349 | 262 | 217 | 36 | 27 | 61 | 65 | 38 | 149 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 8 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
280 | 163 | 154 | 98 | 98 | 39 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 20 | 26 | 18 | 36 | 169 | 138 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 44 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | W 15 | WSW 14 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SW 19 | SW 19 |
51 | 80 | 81 | 130 | 127 | 78 | 73 | 47 | 46 | 23 | 22 | 11 | 19 | 40 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 58 | 129 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | WNW 4 | W 3 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | SE 3 | — | — | SE 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
5 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 10 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 7 | 125 | 33 | 87 | 125 | 46 | 46 | 101 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 110 | 18 | 46 | 125 | 46 |
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.










