Huntington Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good, hard look at what’s lining up for Huntington Beach. It’s going to be a real mixed bag, with plenty of small, so-so days, but there are a couple of windows where it could actually get fun.

Right off the bat, water temp is sitting at 75°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than normal for this time of year. That is very unusual – it’s like bath water out there.

We start off this Friday, August 28th, with pretty small stuff. Morning has some lumpy 2ft SSW swell with a long 17-second period, but the cross-onshore breeze makes it look messy. The total wave energy is moderate at 390, so it’s weak and a bit of a chore. Honestly, it’s looking marginal right from the jump.

Saturday the 29th shows a bump in energy. The morning has a cleaner 3ft SSW swell with a 17-second period and light cross-onshore winds. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 664, so there’s a bit more push. It’s still not perfect, but it’s the pick of the first weekend if you have to get wet. The afternoon gets blown out by a moderate cross-onshore, so get it early.

Sunday the 30th is similar – a 3ft SSW swell in the morning with a 15-second period, but the cross-onshore keeps it from being glassy. Energy is moderate at 561. The rest of the week, from Monday the 31st through Thursday September 3rd, is pretty uninspiring. Waist-high waves with periods dropping below 15 seconds, and winds are either onshore or cross-onshore. The energy drops into the 200-400 range—real weak stuff.

The standout: The best chance for a decent wave is looking like Thursday afternoon, September 3rd. We see the biggest height of the early period at 4ft from the SSW with a 14-second period. The combined energy hits a moderate 783, which is the highest of the first week. The wind is straight onshore from the WSW, which isn’t ideal, but that extra size and energy might make Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach) grind a bit better than the tiny dribble we’ve been seeing. It’s still going to be a long-period groundswell, which at a beach break like this can mean pretty straight walls, so the best shape will be where the sandbars are.

Following that, there’s a dull run again. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th keep the same 3ft to 3ft story with onshore or choppy afternoons. By Sunday the 6th through Wednesday the 9th, we’re back to tiny 2ft to 3ft waves and weak energy readings in the 200-300 range. It’s a proper lull.

Things get a little more interesting in the second week. Thursday, September 10th offers a 2ft SSW swell with a solid 17-second period, but the energy is only 368, so it’s a long-period, low-energy pulse. Morning winds are light cross-onshore.

Into the longer range, a promising but less certain window: The most powerful swell of the whole 16-day outlook arrives on Friday, September 11th and Saturday, September 12th. The swell height bumps up to 4ft on Friday afternoon and 5ft on Saturday morning, coming from the S and SSE. The combined energy rockets up to strong levels – 869 on Friday afternoon and 840 on Saturday morning. This is a significant jump in power. However, the period on these swells is short, around 13 to 14 seconds, and the winds are a moderate cross-onshore, which will make it choppy. The height is in that sweet spot for intermediates (under 5ft), but the short period and onshore wind will likely chop it up. It’s still the biggest, most energetic spell, but don’t expect pristine, groomed faces.

Overall, there is no true “10 out of 10” stand-out day. If I had to surf, I’d gamble on the morning of Saturday, August 29th for the cleaner conditions, or the afternoon of Thursday, September 3rd for the biggest wave height. And keep an eye on that September 11-12 pulse – it’s got the most power but will need a lot of luck with the wind.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

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