Huntington Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a tease. The first real action kicks off Sunday morning, September 6th. There’s a solid pulse of south swell hitting Huntington Beach, pushing about 5ft and coming from the S with a long 14-second period. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a strong 1088, so there’s plenty of grunt in the water. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is a whopping 6°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you won’t need much of a wetsuit. The morning starts with a light rain and a cross-offshore wind from the NNW at 9 mph, which should keep things reasonably clean. This is a consistent spot, so there’s always waves to be had, but be prepared for the crowds as it’s often busy here.

Sunday afternoon, the wind swings around to a clean offshore from the NNE at 12 mph, and the score is tipped for very good surf conditions. The swell holds steady at 5ft, still from the S with that same long period. This is your standout session for the whole forecast period. The swell is a bit much for beginners, but intermediate surfers will be in heaven with those long-period lines. Just remember, that long period (14 seconds) means the sets will be a bit more spread out, but the waves will have real shape, especially for a beach break setup.

Now, here’s the bummer. After that Sunday session, it’s a long dry spell. From Monday, September 7th, right through to the end of the forecast on September 21st, the conditions take a nosedive. The swell drops off, the wind turns mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the quality goes to absolute crap. We’re talking small, weak surf with combined energy values dropping into the 100s and 200s, and a lot of “poor surf conditions” flags. The wind is mostly from the W, WSW, or S, constantly chopping things up. There’s a few mornings with light cross-on breezes, but the swell is just too small and weak to get excited about.

For a stretch of about two weeks, the only thing worth mentioning is that the water will stay warm, but the waves won’t. The swell is small and weak, often with a long period over 15 seconds, which at a beach break like Huntington just means it’ll be breaking too straight and won’t have any push. Honestly, with the strong onshore winds and poor quality, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for that entire second week.

So, to wrap it up: your one and only window is Sunday, September 6th. Hit it hard, because after that, it’s a long, flat, choppy grind. Keep your eyes on the charts, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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