Huntington Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.

Huntington Beach is looking rough. The wind is onshore from the SSW and WSW for most of the period, and even when it’s a light breeze, it’s cross-on or straight onshore. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate – numbers like 346 (that’s in the energy bracket) – but the swell is tiny and the wind is trashing any chance of clean waves. The water temp is 73°, which is 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual for Huntington.

From Friday 31 July through the end of the 16-day window, the surf is consistently poor. The swell stays tiny, mostly 1ft to 3ft, with periods from 12 to 19 seconds. Even when the period is long (like 19 seconds on the morning of 7 August), the swell direction is SSW and the wind is cross-on or onshore, so it’s just messy. The energy stays moderate (most values between 100 and 399), but none of it translates to surfable waves.

There’s a brief moment on the morning of Sunday 9 August where the forecast shows marginal conditions – 3ft from the SSW, period 15 seconds, light breeze from the SW – but it’s still onshore and the score is only a 1 out of 10. That’s the best we get, and it’s not good. Same story on the morning of 10 August and again on 15 August: marginal at best, but still not worth paddling out for.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a paddle, forget it. The wind is onshore or cross-on nearly every day, and the swell is too small and weak to push through it. For kite surfing, the setup might have some appeal – the wind is steady and cross-on, and the ocean is clean enough for a kite, but for a surfboard, it’s a no-go.

We’ve got a 16-day window here with no standouts, no real options. A blank run like this is more normal for Huntington in the summer, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d keep the board in the car and wait for a better window.

Rusty.

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