Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with 604 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 13s 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 (Sep 01) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) 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 1st Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming our way for 56th St.
Honestly, the next week and a half is a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out lull with hardly anything worth paddling for. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until around Tuesday, September 8th. For now, we’re stuck with small, weak energy and mostly cross-onshore winds that are messing up what little is out there. The combined swell energy is weak at best, sitting well under 1000 for most of the early days, so don't bother rushing down.
The water is running much warmer than normal for the time of year at 75°, which is a bit of a trip, but it won’t help the surf.
Things finally start to look interesting on the morning of Tuesday, September 8th. A pulse of swell from the SSW rolls in, reaching about 6 ft with a moderate period of 14 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1161, signaling a real kick of power. The morning winds are a gentle cross-shore, which is the cleanest we’ve seen in a while. This is the standout window for the whole forecast—it’s not huge, but it’s the only time there's enough oomph and a chance at a decent shape. 6 ft is a solid intermediate size, so it’s too big for beginners but good for the rest of us. The swell direction matches the optimum SW direction for this spot nicely.
The afternoon of the 8th gets a bit messier with the wind turning cross-onshore, so the early session is the one to target. After that, the swell drops back down and gets shorter and choppier again, with the wind staying onshore for most of the following days.
Crowds are listed as “sometimes” here, and with it being the best option in a long dry spell, expect a few others to have the same idea on the 8th morning.
Ride safe, and don’t bother with the earlier days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 21°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
635 | 604 | 417 | 330 | 261 | 233 | 184 | 121 | 116 | 188 | 179 | 240 | 213 | 199 | 203 | 221 | 553 | 448 | 475 | 487 | |
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 | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 10:27PM1.58m | 11:03AM1.56m | 11:08PM1.41m | 11:32AM1.61m | 11:55PM1.22m | 12:05PM1.63m | 00:58AM1.01m | 12:48PM1.63m | 2:46AM0.86m | 1:46PM1.60m | 3:11PM1.59m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 4:35PM0.34m | 4:56AM0.13m | 5:19PM0.30m | 5:19AM0.27m | 6:08PM0.28m | 5:43AM0.43m | 7:09PM0.29m | 6:07AM0.59m | 8:31PM0.28m | 6:32AM0.75m | 10:15PM0.23m | 11:46PM0.09m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
Feels °C | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | W 8 | SSW 14 | W 7 | SSW 14 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | W 6 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | W 7 |
635 | 604 | 110 | 330 | 96 | 233 | 184 | 121 | 116 | 188 | 179 | 240 | 213 | 199 | 203 | 153 | 63 | 448 | 475 | 123 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | W 7 | SSW 15 | W 7 | SSW 14 | S 13 | SSW 14 | W 5 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 5 | SW 16 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 18 | SW 13 | SW 11 | SSW 16 |
11 | 104 | 417 | 63 | 261 | 166 | 168 | 20 | 99 | 50 | 80 | 14 | 127 | 42 | 37 | 26 | 553 | 238 | 126 | 487 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | S 8 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | S 13 | W 6 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | W 5 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 16 | SSW 20 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 11 | W 6 | S 12 | SW 10 |
7 | 11 | 34 | 50 | 123 | 37 | 14 | 116 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 133 | 40 | 119 | 154 | 221 | 64 | 26 | 12 | 52 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | — | — | W 8 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 5 | W 5 | — | W 6 | WNW 6 | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | — |
28 | — | — | 138 | — | — | 25 | — | — | 19 | 24 | — | 23 | 56 | — | 49 | — | — | 25 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 87 | 36 | 46 | 101 | 25 | 46 | 110 | 7 | 42 | 125 | 7 | 7 | 125 | 14 | 110 | 125 | 2 | 33 | 110 | 0 |
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.











