Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 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, 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 5AM. 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 onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 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
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks. I’m looking straight at 56th St.
Straight up, I’ve got to be honest with you – it’s a pretty bleak outlook. We’ve got a long, dry spell ahead. The whole 16-day window is one big gap with no decent surf on the table. The first day, Monday the 14th, kicks off with a tiny 1ft SW swell pushing through, but the wind is a cross-onshore and the conditions are just poor. That sets the tone. The water is sitting at a very warm 73°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – feels more like a bath than the ocean.
Day after day, it’s the same story. The swell is weak, the energy is moderate at best – we see numbers like 200 (moderate wave energy) on the Monday morning, and it never really gets going. The biggest bump we get is around Sunday the 20th with a 3ft SW swell and energy hitting 556 (moderate), but the winds are onshore or cross-onshore the whole time. It’s all marked as “poor surf conditions.” The period on the swell is long, over 15 seconds at times, which is a proper groundswell, but it’s just not big enough to do anything with, especially with the constant onshore wind messing it up.
Every single morning and afternoon through to Tuesday the 29th is a write-off. There’s no standouts, no hidden gem days. The wind is a constant problem – mostly light to gentle breezes from the S, SSW, or WSW, but it’s always on or cross-on, keeping the surface choppy and uninviting. The swell direction is locked in from the SW, which is the optimum direction for this sheltered spot, but it’s just too small and too wind-affected.
The energy values do climb into the three-digit range, so there’s some push in the water, but with the quality being zero, it’s not worth paddling out. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. There’s nothing to get excited about here. For a spot that’s very consistent, it’s a real bummer, but it happens. The forecasts can change, so don’t throw your board in the bin just yet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 20 | SW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 108 | 108 | 147 | 127 | 127 | 87 | 348 | 252 | 291 | 223 | 191 | 242 | 236 | 236 | 183 | 255 | 252 | 252 | 375 | 375 | 358 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 7:53AM1.14m | 5:42PM1.40m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 12:12PM0.96m | 1:16AM0.14m | ||||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — |
 | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 16 | W 9 | W 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 |
| kJ | 47 | 94 | 40 | 127 | 39 | 20 | 348 | 252 | 291 | 223 | 191 | 242 | 118 | 236 | 32 | 255 | 252 | 252 | 375 | 375 | 71 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | W 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 11 | SW 19 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 17 |
| kJ | 108 | 108 | 147 | 19 | 88 | 87 | 11 | 6 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 66 | 236 | 104 | 139 | 99 | 16 | 26 | 43 | 43 | 358 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 13 | SW 21 | SSW 12 | SW 21 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 19 | W 6 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 44 | 40 | 38 | 23 | 127 | 69 | 15 | 14 | 43 | 116 | 47 | 111 | 15 | 16 | 183 | 16 | 96 | 76 | 48 | 49 | 51 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 3 | — | — | SSE 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | W 7 | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | 89 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 125 | 1 | 125 | 110 | 2 | 46 | 87 | 8 | 46 | 110 | 1 | 46 | 87 | 18 |
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.
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