
Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period, S swell with 585 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. 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 1.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 14s |
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 the cards for 56th St over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you, this is one of those outlooks where you might want to keep the board in the car, but maybe not even bother waxing it up.
The overall pattern is a long, drawn-out stretch of very small, weak swell dominated by onshore and cross-onshore winds. There’s a standout moment buried way down the line, but the next week and a half is pretty grim.
The water temperature here is a notable 72° which is a massive 6° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, like wearing boardshorts in what should be a spring suit kind of unusual.
We kick off on Thursday the 30th of July with a small 3 ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is a cross-onshore from the WSW at 9 mph, making it a bit bumpy and choppy. The energy is moderate at best, but the conditions are poor.
Friday the 31st starts with a little more size at 4 ft from the S, but again that cross-onshore wind messes things up. The afternoon drops back to 3 ft and stays choppy.
The first weekend of August into the following week is where it gets depressing. From Saturday the 1st all the way through to Thursday the 7th, we are looking at swell heights between 1 ft and 2 ft. The winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and energy levels are weak. The wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions" – it’s a total flat spell.
Now, here’s the one glimmer. On Friday the 7th of August in the morning, we see a pulse of 2 ft swell from the SSW, but with a very long period of 19 seconds. This is groundswell energy, and at this break it’s not enough height to make it work well. The energy is moderate, but the wind is onshore. The high period will make for long waits between sets, and with the low height, it’s really just a tease.
From Saturday the 8th of August onward through the middle of the month, the swell tries to pick up a little, staying around 2 ft to 3 ft from the SSW or SW. However, the cross-onshore winds stick around, and the energy stays in the moderate range. It's still not worth getting excited about. The surf quality is consistently rated as poor.
So, what’s the call? Honestly, there is no real standout here for the next 16 days. The whole period is a stretch of poor conditions. If you absolutely have to get wet, the best of a bad bunch might be the morning of Friday the 7th of August if that 19-second period bump lines up with a lull in the wind, but it’s a long shot and the waves will be tiny. For everyone else, this is a solid two-week window to clean your board, check your fins, or find something else to do. It’s one of those blank runs that’s pretty normal for this area when the swell direction and wind don’t cooperate.
Stay patient, my friends.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 20°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 21°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
387 | 305 | 480 | 290 | 189 | 201 | 218 | 85 | 49 | 49 | 47 | 42 | 66 | 41 | 84 | 77 | 75 | 72 | 71 | 97 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:06PM1.75m | 11:33AM1.26m | 10:39PM1.66m | 12:00PM1.32m | 11:16PM1.52m | 12:29PM1.37m | 11:57PM1.34m | 1:02PM1.43m | 00:50AM1.12m | 1:41PM1.49m | 2:09AM0.91m | 2:33PM1.54m | 4:32AM0.80m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:08PM0.62m | 5:17AM-0.11m | 4:47PM0.59m | 5:42AM-0.03m | 5:30PM0.57m | 6:08AM0.09m | 6:21PM0.55m | 6:33AM0.23m | 7:24PM0.52m | 7:00AM0.39m | 8:47PM0.47m | 7:30AM0.55m | 10:28PM0.36m | |||||||
— | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 10 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
387 | 305 | 480 | 290 | 189 | 201 | 218 | 48 | 31 | 22 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 72 | 71 | 97 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | W 6 | S 10 | S 10 | W 7 | W 7 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 6 | SSW 12 | W 4 |
212 | 206 | 20 | 46 | 47 | 32 | 21 | 85 | 49 | 49 | 44 | 42 | 43 | 39 | 84 | 77 | 75 | 6 | 13 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | S 9 | SW 15 | WSW 6 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | S 9 | W 6 |
9 | 5 | — | — | 7 | 25 | 56 | 12 | 47 | 46 | 47 | 23 | 66 | 41 | 38 | 22 | 42 | 16 | 6 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — |
— | — | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 110 | 9 | 114 | 125 | 32 | 46 | 110 | 46 | 46 | 110 | 0 | 46 | 110 | 37 | 46 | 125 | 14 | 46 | 110 | 14 |
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.











