Surf Forecasts:
Huntington Cliffs surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 18s period, SSW swell with 348 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Huntington Cliffs this week:
The surf forecast for Huntington Cliffs over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Huntington Cliffs in the next 16 days are 0.8m 18s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Huntington Cliffs over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's get straight into it. The forecast for Huntington Cliffs is a long, frustrating wait. We're looking at over a week of poor conditions before things even get close to being worth a paddle.
The water's sitting at a warm 22°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. Nice for a swim, but it won't help the waves much.
We start off on Friday, September 11th, and honestly, it’s just not on. The swell is tiny, around 3 ft from the SW, and while the period is a long 16 seconds, the wind is all wrong. Cross-shore and cross-on breezes are chopping everything up. The combined energy is weak (389), and the surf is just poor. This pattern of small, weak, and messy swell sticks around for days. Saturday, Sunday, Monday… it’s all the same story. Wind is constantly from the wrong angle, and the wave heights drop as low as 1 ft. You’d be bobbing around on a lake.
There’s a tiny glimmer on Monday, September 14th, the morning sees a 1 ft swell with an 18-second period, but it’s still just a marginal call with the cross-shore wind. Not worth rushing for.
The whole first week is a write-off. There’s a long gap of nothing but poor or marginal surf. Even when the swell bumps up slightly in the second week, the wind is still predominantly cross-on or onshore. The best we get are a few mornings where it’s described as "marginal," like on Thursday, September 17th, with a 2 ft, 16-second period swell, but the winds from the WSW are still cross-on. The energy is still only moderate (297).
The largest swell we see is on Monday, September 21st, with a 3 ft swell from the SW, but the stern 17-second period and the moderate cross-onshore breeze mean it will be a bumpy, disorganised mess at this beach-and-reef setup. The combined energy hits 711, which is moderate, but it’s all for nothing with that wind. By the end of the forecast, heading into Saturday, September 26th, we’re right back to small, weak, and choppy surf.
The reality is, there isn’t a single standout session in this whole 16-day window. The break is fairly consistent, but the weather and swell just aren't cooperating. It’s a time to check the forecast again tomorrow, because this blank run won’t last forever.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri morning, min 21°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 8 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 20 | SW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 349 | 262 | 217 | 169 | 136 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 138 | 108 | 108 | 147 | 127 | 127 | 88 | 348 | 249 | 291 | 198 | 191 | 188 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:05AM2.05m | 10:07PM2.06m | 10:33AM2.09m | 10:50PM1.88m | 11:00AM2.10m | 11:34PM1.68m | 11:28AM2.06m | 00:24AM1.49m | 11:58AM1.99m | 1:29AM1.32m | 12:32PM1.90m | 4:03AM1.23m | 1:18PM1.80m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:04PM0.53m | 4:18AM0.44m | 4:47PM0.49m | 4:44AM0.61m | 5:31PM0.50m | 5:08AM0.80m | 6:19PM0.56m | 5:28AM0.97m | 7:14PM0.63m | 5:41AM1.11m | 8:28PM0.71m | 5:07AM1.23m | 10:10PM0.72m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — |
 | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 25 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 6 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 9 | W 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
| kJ | 349 | 262 | 217 | 36 | 136 | 54 | 80 | 61 | 138 | 87 | 37 | 23 | 21 | 39 | 14 | 348 | 249 | 291 | 198 | 191 | 188 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 14 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 6 | W 5 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | S 10 |
| kJ | 18 | 17 | 28 | 169 | 16 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 44 | 108 | 108 | 147 | 127 | 88 | 88 | 10 | 5 | 57 | 49 | 72 | 29 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 9 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSE 9 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSE 9 | SSW 11 |
| kJ | 20 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 58 | 129 | 43 | 40 | 23 | 14 | 127 | 69 | 16 | 31 | 13 | 50 | 29 | 43 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 3 | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 3 | W 4 |
| kJ | 2 | — | — | — | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 9 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 76 | 36 | 36 | 99 | 29 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 135 | 11 | 135 | 99 | 41 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Huntington Cliffs Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Huntington Cliffs provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Huntington Cliffs can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Huntington Cliffs surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Huntington Cliffs) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Huntington Cliffs may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Huntington Cliffs is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Huntington Beach. If you plan a vacation in Orange County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Huntington Beach. Huntington Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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