
Surf Forecasts:
56th St surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 366 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s 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 (Aug 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 4s. 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11PM. 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+) | 2AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get real about the next stretch, yeah? First thing’s first: it’s gonna be a flat, tough grind for a good while. This isn’t one of those times where you’re picking between fun options. We’re looking at a serious dry spell before things even think about waking up.
Right now, for the next several days, the ocean is basically doing nothing. We’re talking tiny, weak waves that aren't even worth getting wet for. The energy is just not there. For the first few days, you’re looking at ankle-snappers. The water temp at 56th St (California) is a warm 74°, which is a solid 8° above normal for this time of year, so it’s gonna feel like a bath out there, but it won’t matter much with the lack of surf. Expect a lot of waiting and not a lot of riding. This dull stretch is really the story for the better part of the first week.
We get a little bump in energy mid-period, but don’t get too excited. Around August 7th, we see a pulse of longer-period swell, but the size stays small. It’s still going to be a slog. The wind is mostly light, but it’s not doing us any favors, often coming across the wave or onshore, making things a little lumpy. Honestly, for the first week, I’d plan on doing anything but surfing. Maybe go for a drive, check your fins, anything.
This quiet, unproductive pattern hangs around for what feels like an eternity. We’re talking nearly nine or ten days of this. Then, as we head into the second week, around August 14th and 15th, things finally start to move. The energy jumps up significantly – we're talking a big jump from moderate to strong energy, hitting the 522-602 range. But here's the kicker: the size finally gets to a more rideable height, but the wind turns against us. We’re looking at a solid cross-onshore flow, which is gonna make things choppy and messy at a beach break like 56th St. It’s got that combo of decent swell and bad wind, which is a bummer. It might be more interesting for kite surfing than actual paddling, to be honest.
The swell direction is from the SSW, which is right in the zone for this spot, and the period gets up there, but on a beach break, these longer period swells can be a bit tricky, breaking too straight. With the onshore wind, it’s gonna be a battle for a clean one. The standout, if you can even call it that, is the morning of August 15th. It’s the biggest of the run at a whole 3ft, but it’s still crossed-up. It's a promise of something better, but it's not quite there.
Beyond that, the surf backs off again into the following week. There’s a little pulse around August 19th with some longer period energy, but it’s back down to small and we’re still dealing with wind issues. To be straight with you, there’s no one day in this whole 16-day window that I’d circle as a true standout. It’s a long, flat road with a small, bumpy blip in the middle. The forecast can always change, and with the consistency this spot usually has, it won’t stay this poor for long. But right now? Save your energy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
84 | 77 | 75 | 71 | 71 | 97 | 88 | 114 | 126 | 212 | 210 | 348 | 237 | 229 | 366 | 249 | 242 | 218 | 161 | 139 | 184 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:41PM1.49m | 2:09AM0.91m | 2:33PM1.54m | 4:32AM0.80m | 3:38PM1.61m | 6:58AM0.87m | 4:52PM1.69m | 7:56AM0.99m | 6:01PM1.82m | 8:33AM1.10m | 7:01PM1.94m | 9:06AM1.20m | 7:54PM2.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:47PM0.47m | 7:30AM0.55m | 10:28PM0.36m | 8:13AM0.71m | 11:58PM0.17m | 9:43AM0.83m | 1:03AM-0.03m | 11:32AM0.84m | 1:54AM-0.20m | 12:49PM0.77m | 2:38AM-0.33m | 1:49PM0.66m | 3:18AM-0.39m | ||||||||
6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | SW 15 | WSW 4 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
9 | 77 | 6 | 71 | 71 | 97 | 88 | 114 | 84 | 212 | 113 | 348 | 237 | 229 | 366 | 249 | 242 | 218 | 161 | 139 | 137 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 12 | SW 15 | W 5 | SSW 12 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | SSW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | W 4 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
84 | 22 | 75 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 126 | 114 | 210 | 130 | 36 | 71 | 56 | 1 | 30 | 30 | 65 | 97 | 184 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | S 10 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 9 | S 12 | SSW 20 | W 5 | W 5 | W 12 | W 15 | W 4 | W 12 | SW 9 | S 8 | W 5 | S 11 | WSW 6 | WSW 12 | WSW 6 |
38 | 8 | 41 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 25 | 40 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 28 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | SSW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 9 | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 46 | 125 | 0 | 46 | 110 | 1 | 46 | 114 | 46 | 46 | 125 | 32 | 46 | 110 | 46 | 46 | 173 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 46 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Latest Updates
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.











