Huntington Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about the next couple of weeks. It’s gonna be a tough stretch for anyone chasing waves around Huntington Beach. The ocean’s got some energy, but it’s just not coming together for us. For the first few days, we’re looking at small, weak surf with a messy, cross-onshore wind messing things up. It’s the kind of conditions that’ll have you second-guessing whether it’s worth paddling out. We’re waiting on the swell to get its act together and the wind to back off, and honestly, from where I’m sitting, it’s gonna be a real fight to find anything decent.

Looking at the full picture from Tuesday the 15th through Wednesday the 30th, there’s just no standout day where everything clicks. The best we can hope for are a few mornings with lighter winds, but the swell stays small and the period’s not bad, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. The wave energy does build a bit in the middle of the run, especially around the 19th and 20th, but the winds stay mostly onshore or cross, keeping things choppy. It’s a tough spell for surfers, for sure.

To start, on Tuesday morning, the 15th, it’s flat-out poor. We’ve got a tiny 2ft southwest swell with a 16-second period, but a cross-on wind has the surface all messy. The water’s much warmer than usual for this time of year, sitting at 73°F, which is a big anomaly of 7°F warmer, so at least you won’t need a thick suit. The energy is weak, only at 172, so it’s not doing anything for us. Later that day, the swell drops a bit more, and it’s still onshore junk.

Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th are more of the same. The swell pushes up to 3ft, and the period stays in that good 16-18 second range, which would be great if the wind wasn’t ruining it. The energy creeps up to 369 on Wednesday morning, which is moderate, but it’s all for nothing with the cross-onshore breeze. Thursday’s morning session is a bit better with a lighter breeze, but it’s still a marginal call at best.

The weekend arrives and the surf does pick up slightly, but it’s the same story. Saturday the 19th morning has a 2ft southwest swell with a 6-second period, light cross-on wind, and it's just barely rideable. The energy is at 379, which is starting to get more moderate. It’s the kind of morning where you’ll catch a few gutless ones if you’re desperate, but you won’t be telling your friends about it.

Sunday the 20th keeps the swell at 3ft, but it’s still messy. The energy climbs all the way to 481, but that’s just a bigger, bumpy ocean. The winds are the problem, and it’s just not clean.

The start of the following week, from the 21st to the 24th, is a slow fade. The swell hangs around in that 2ft to 3ft range, but the period starts to drop, and the energy backs off. There’s still that persistent cross-onshore wind, and the surface remains chopped up. The mornings are the only time it might be rideable, but it’s still a poor outlook.

By Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th, the swell is fading, the period is dropping, and it’s looking pretty grim. We’re getting into that territory where it’s not worth the effort. The wave energy is down in the low 200s, which is weak, and the waves are just crumbling. From Friday the 25th through to the end of the run on the 30th, it just stays small and weak. The winds pick up a bit at times, and the swell continues to fade, dropping to 2ft to 2ft with shorter periods. There’s even a morning on the 27th with just a whisper of wind, but the swell is just too small to matter.

To be honest, this whole period is a dud. There is no standout day, no hidden gem. It’s a two-week stretch where you’d be better off checking the cams and staying home. The only positive is that water’s been warmer than usual, which is something. But if you were hoping for a real surf forecast, this isn’t it. We need a new swell and a change in the wind, and that’s just not coming for a while. Keep your board in the car, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty

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