Huntington Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks are shaping up like for our local stretch.

Straight up, I’ve gotta be honest with you – it’s looking pretty flat and frustrating out there for the foreseeable future. We’ve got a long, quiet spell on our hands with barely a ripple worth getting excited about. The first real chance of anything rideable doesn’t even show up until Thursday the 17th of September, and even then it’s only just scraping into the marginal zone. For the days before that, from now right through to Wednesday the 16th, you’re better off keeping the board in the car or taking up a hobby on dry land – the wave energy is weak (values between 162 and 389) and every session is being written off as poor surf conditions.

Let’s start with that first flicker of hope on Thursday the 17th. Huntington Beach is looking at a tiny 2 ft of swell coming from the SSW. The energy is still low (around 294 to 297) and while the morning has a light cross-onshore breeze, it’s really not going to offer much more than a dribble. Nothing to write home about.

Moving into Friday the 18th, we see a bit more energy in the water – combined swell energy climbs to 408 in the morning – but the wave height is still stuck at a piddly 2 ft from the SW. A 19-second period on that small swell means it’s a long-period groundswell, which would normally be promising, but with that tiny size it’s just going to be fat and slow. The wind is light in the morning, but it’s cross-onshore, so expect some small ripples on the surface. Still marginal at best.

Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th of September are more of the same. The swell stays around 2 ft to 3 ft from the SW. The combined energy picks up nicely on Sunday morning to 492, which tells you there’s some juice in the water, but the size just isn’t there to turn that energy into a decent wave. The wind on Sunday morning is light from the SSW, almost glassy, which is a positive for clean conditions, but the surf itself is too small and weak to be worth paddling out for anything more than a float.

After that, we roll into the following week from Monday the 21st through to Saturday the 26th of September. The swell stays stubbornly in the 2 ft to 3 ft range, mostly from the SW or SSW. The combined energy peaks on Monday the 21st afternoon at 711, which is a solid spike of moderate energy, but it’s coupled with a 3 ft swell and a gentle cross-onshore wind. You might see a few crumbly walls, but nothing consistent or powerful. The best look of the whole period might be Thursday the 24th of September morning, with a 3 ft SSW swell and a light onshore wind, but the period drops to 14 seconds and the energy is only 298 – it’s still just a marginal, borderline session.

Honestly, the standout – and I use that term loosely – is Sunday the 20th of September morning. The water temp is 71°, which is 5° warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’ll feel like a bath out there. You’ve got a 3 ft SW swell with a decent 18-second period and a combined energy of 492. The wind is light from the SSW, almost calm, so the surface should be clean. If you absolutely need to get wet, that’s your best bet, but keep your expectations on the floor. It’s not a day to brag about.

For the rest of the run, it’s all marginal or poor. This is a long, drawn-out flat spell, and with the break being consistent but the swell so weak, it’s one of those times where patience is key. Forecasts can always change, but as it stands, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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