Huntington Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks at Huntington Beach. Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow start, and honestly, the first few days are pretty grim for any decent paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of weak, marginal surf through to the end of the first week. The real standout, the only one worth getting truly excited about, comes on Sunday the 6th of September. The combined swell energy jumps to 1337 (moderate to strong), with a solid 6 ft S swell rolling in at a long 14-second period. That’s a proper groundswell. The wind goes NNE at 9 mph, giving us a clean, cross-offshore breeze. That’s the window to be in the water if you’re experienced. The 8 ft S swell on Monday the 7th is big and powerful, with a combined energy of 2474 (very strong), but it’s a bit of a beast – only for experts. The 18-second period on Thursday the 3rd is a very long period, but the swell is small and the conditions are poor, so it’s a miss. The water temperature is sitting at a balmy 76°F, which is a whopping 9°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual – you’ll be in a shorty for sure, maybe boardies.

Alright, let’s break it down day by day. Tuesday 1st September – No good. Tiny 2 ft to 2 ft swells, onshore or cross-onshore winds, and combined energy is weak (197 to 214). Poor surf. Wednesday 2nd – Small stuff, 2 ft to 2 ft, cross-onshore wind, energy moderate (251 to 319). Marginal at best. Thursday 3rd – Still tiny (2 ft to 2 ft), cross-onshore, energy moderate (265 to 453). Poor. Friday 4th – Picking up a little, 3 ft to 3 ft, but still cross-onshore and messy. Energy moderate (556 to 847). Only marginal. Saturday 5th – 4 ft to 4 ft, onshore wind, energy moderate (913 to 966). Marginal. Sunday 6th – This is it. The morning is cloudy with a 6 ft S swell, but the wind is cross-shore from the NW at 6 mph. It’s the afternoon that’s the standout: 6 ft from the S, 14-second period, NNE wind at 9 mph giving us clean cross-offshore conditions. The combined energy is 1337 (moderate to strong). Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. Crowds are likely, as it’s Huntington. Monday 7th – Big swell. 8 ft S in the morning, 15-second period, with a NNW wind at 12 mph (cross-offshore). Combined energy is massive at 2474 (very strong). This is expert-only territory. The afternoon drops to a 8 ft SSW swell with a NW cross-shore wind, still big but choppier. Tuesday 8th – Drops fast. 5 ft to 4 ft, cross-onshore, energy moderate (666 to 448). Marginal to poor. Wednesday 9th through to Wednesday 16th – Back to a long, flat spell. Swell heights between 1 ft and 3 ft, mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds, and combined energy is weak to moderate (132 to 450). All poor surf conditions. The 7-second period on Monday 14th is a short, weak windswell – not worth your time.

So, the only real call is Sunday the 6th of September, afternoon session. It’s clean, it’s got some size, and it’s a proper groundswell. For the rest, you’re better off waiting for the next forecast swing.

Rusty.

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