Huntington Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here again. Let’s break down what’s coming for the next couple of weeks, but in feet and Fahrenheit this time.

From the get-go, it’s a rough start. The first few days at Huntington Cliffs are nothing to write home about. The wind is messing things up – mostly cross-onshore or onshore – and the swell is tiny and weak. The wave comment keeps saying "poor" or "marginal". The combined swell energy is low, starting around 220 on Tuesday afternoon, only climbing into the moderate range by the end of the week, but it’s still choppy and messy. The water temp is 76°F, which is a wild 9°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s seriously unusual and feels like summer just won’t quit.

The one bright spot in this whole outlook hits on Sunday, 6th September, in the morning. That’s the true standout. The wind flips to a light easterly, cross-offshore, and the conditions clean right up. Swell is about 6 ft from the S with a 14-second period – that’s proper groundswell, long and powerful. The combined energy hits 1167 (moderate to strong), and the wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". This is your window. It’s over 5 ft, so not for beginners, but for anyone with some experience, this is the best you’re gonna get. Just keep in mind, crowds are likely here often, so get out early.

After that Sunday morning window, the afternoon gets messier again with the wind turning cross-onshore. Monday the 7th sees the swell push up to about 8 ft from the S, with a 14-second period and a massive energy reading of 3593 (very strong). But the wind is cross-shore and conditions are only marginal – by Monday afternoon it’s over 8 ft, which is strictly for experts.

From Tuesday the 8th onward, it all fades fast. Swell drops below 3 ft, the wind turns crappy again, and the energy drops into the low to mid hundreds. The second week, from the 9th to the 16th, is a complete write-off – tiny surf, around 1 ft to 3 ft, weak energy (136 to 481), and nothing but cross-onshore or onshore winds. There’s a long stretch of poor and marginal reports with no real standouts after that Sunday morning.

So bottom line: the whole 16-day window is mostly a dud, but Sunday morning, 6th September, is your one true standout. Clean, decent-sized S groundswell, excellent conditions for those who can handle it. That’s the one to mark on the calendar.

Rusty.

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