Huntington Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, let’s talk Huntington Cliffs. I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch, and honestly, it’s a bit of a frustrating one. We’ve got a long window here, sixteen days, but don’t get too excited just yet. The first week is looking pretty flat and weak. There are a few pulses of energy, but they’re not translating into anything rideable. You’re looking at small, short-period leftovers for most of the first week, with onshore winds messing up what little there is. It’s the kind of stretch where you’d be better off doing anything else.

The water is sitting at 73°, which is a solid 7° warmer than the long-term average for this time of year. That’s a big deal – the ocean is properly warm, much warmer than usual, so you might not even need a wetsuit top.

Now, the first real sign of life shows up on Thursday, August 7th. The swell direction swings around to the SSW, and the period jumps to 19 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and the energy reading is at 330 – moderate, but it’s the most organized we’ve seen. The problem is the wind. It’s cross-onshore and choppy, so even though there’s a bit more push, the surface is going to be messy. Size is still small, around 2ft to 2ft, so it’s not breaking with any sort of power.

The swell builds a little through the weekend, but it’s still not enough. We’re looking at 2ft to 3ft on Saturday and Sunday, with the period dropping back down to 15-16 seconds. The wind is still not your friend. It’s onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave comment just says “poor surf conditions.” This is the kind of surf where you’re just getting wet, not really surfing.

There’s a slight improvement in the middle of the following week, specifically on Thursday, August 14th. The energy jumps up to 523 – that’s getting into moderate-to-strong territory – and the swell height is around 3ft with a 19-second period again. This is the most promising window in the whole run. The morning looks cleaner, with a light cross-onshore breeze, but it’s still not offshore. The afternoon gets a bit more wind, but the energy is there. This is your best chance to get a couple of fun ones, but it’s still a marginal call. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the most surfable it’s going to get.

After that, it fades back into the same pattern – small, weak, and onshore for the last few days. The 15th and 16th have some energy, but the wind is picking up, making it choppy. The 17th through the 19th are more of the same, with the swell hovering around 3ft and the period dropping back down. The end of the window on the 19th is just more of the same – small, wind-affected slop.

So, here’s the deal. If you’re desperate, the standout window is Thursday the 14th. It’s the only time the energy and period align to give you something with a bit of push. But even then, it’s not clean. The winds are never offshore, and the swell doesn’t get over 3ft. For a beginner, this is fine, but for anyone with a bit of experience, it’s pretty gutless. Don’t get your hopes up for a classic. This is a stretch where you check the cam, see the whitewash, and decide it’s a beach day instead.

Rusty

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