56th St Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.62° N 117.94° W

56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 am 29 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's 56th St sea temperature is
22.1° C
3.0° 

56th St surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


56th St surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, S swell with 730 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period with S 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 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 15s. 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 1.3m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Thu 30th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 14s
Best Surf 5AM (Thu 30th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 14s
Most Powerful 8AM (Thu 30th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for 56th St over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, and I’m going to be straight with you. We’re looking at a grim 16 days ahead for 56th St. The long-range picture is a bummer, with little to no quality surf on the table. The first record shows a bit of swell arriving Wednesday, July 29th, but don’t get your hopes up.

Wednesday morning, July 29th, we’ve got some background swell in the water – about 3 ft coming from the SSW with a long 16-second period, giving us moderate wave energy (783). The water is sitting at a very warm 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. But here’s the kicker: the wind is onshore from the S at 9 mph, and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions." It’s a total write-off for surfing. That afternoon, the swell bumps up to 4 ft with the same direction and period, but the wind shifts to a light SW onshore at 6 mph, and it’s still rated as poor. Not a chance.

We then slide into Thursday, July 30th, through the rest of the 16-day window, and it’s a wasteland. The swell drops off quickly. From Thursday onward, we’re talking tiny surf – mostly 1 ft to 2 ft, sometimes reaching 3 ft, but the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore. The wave energy dips into the weak two-digit values (like 79, 94, 95) and occasionally climbs back into the low triple digits (like 204, 233, 343). But not once does the wave comment improve past "poor surf conditions" or "marginal surf forecast." The period stays long (12-19 seconds) on these tiny, weak swells, which means long waits between sets for barely ridable mush.

There is a significant gap here. After the first couple of days, there’s nothing worth paddling out for. It’s a run of flat, onshore junk. For a beach break that is sheltered and requires swell from the SW, this is a normal blank run for the area. The wind is mostly onshore from the SSW or SW, and while it’s light sometimes (3-6 mph), the cross-onshore direction and lack of decent swell size make it a mess.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a session, Thursday afternoon, July 30th, might show a tiny spike to 4 ft with a light cross-onshore wind, but even that is called “marginal.” Not one day stands out as good. The best you can say is that there is a bit of energy in the water on August 7th (Friday) with a 19-second period and moderate energy (233), but it’s only 1 ft of swell. For a point break or reef, a long period on a small swell can make for tricky, close-out conditions.

Forget about it. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing with this constant onshore wind and small, choppy waves. Keep your board in the car and wait for a change. Forecasts can change, but from here, it’s a no-go.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 20°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 21°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1
S
15
1.3
S
14
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
1.2
S
14
1
S
13
0.7
SSW
13
0.6
S
13
0.6
SSW
13
0.5
S
13
0.4
SSW
12
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
12
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
392
575
422
682
387
371
569
361
184
123
131
85
49
49
46
42
66
41
84
77
75
Wind (km/h)
15
S
10
SW
5
S
10
WSW
10
WSW
5
S
10
WSW
15
WSW
5
SW
10
SSW
10
SW
10
SSE
15
S
15
SSW
5
S
10
SSW
10
SSW
10
SSE
15
S
15
SSW
10
SSE
Wind State
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
High Tide
10:42AM1.17m
9:34PM1.80m
11:07AM1.21m
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
Low Tide
3:32PM0.66m
4:51AM-0.16m
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
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:01
6:01
6:03
6:03
6:03
6:05
6:05
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:53
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:51
7:50
7:49
 mm
Temp °C
22
22
21
23
24
22
24
25
23
25
25
24
24
24
23
24
25
23
23
23
22
Feels °C
22
22
22
24
23
23
24
25
24
26
25
25
24
24
24
25
26
25
24
23
23
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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