Surf Forecasts:
Huntington Cliffs surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 13s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 13s period, S swell with 599 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 13s period with SSW 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 5s. 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 1.3m 13s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 2AM. 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+) | 2AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Huntington Cliffs over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for Huntington Cliffs.
Honestly, mate, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the next sixteen days are a bit of a grind. The swell is small for the most part, and the winds are all over the shop, rarely giving us that clean, glassy window we’re all chasing. Water temps are sitting at 69°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, at least to start with.
We kick off Friday the 21st with some tiny 2ft SSW swell, but it’s got a decent 13-second period on it. Problem is the onshore wind is messing it up, and the call is poor surf conditions. That sets the tone for the first few days. Saturday the 22nd is similar, with 1-2ft waves and cross-onshore wind chopping it up. The overall wave energy is weak to moderate at best (131).
Sunday the 23rd morning actually sees the energy climb a bit to 251, with a 1ft SW swell but a lovely long 19-second period. However, the report calls it marginal, and by afternoon that cross-onshore wind messes it up again.
The best chance we get in the first week is probably Tuesday the 25th. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the S in the morning, with energy jumping to 589. That’s moderate energy. Wind is light from the WSW – offshore for this spot, which is a major positive for clean conditions. The period is 16 seconds, suggesting some real groundswell energy, but it’s also a long period, so at a beach/reef setup like this, it might break a bit shut down. Still, it’s the standout window early on. The afternoon gets a little bigger at 3ft but the wind swings cross-onshore.
Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th show a bit more size pushing 4-5ft from the S, but again, constant cross-onshore winds are robbing us of quality. The energy is solid (up to 790 on Wednesday morning), so there’s plenty of push, just not the clean lines we want.
After that, we roll into a long stretch of poor surf conditions. From Friday the 28th all the way through to Saturday the 5th of September, it’s a mix of marginal to poor calls. The swell stays in the 2ft to 3ft range, with constant onshore or cross-onshore winds. The energy dips and spikes, but the quality is never there. You’ll see the odd window with light offshore wind, like Sunday morning the 30th with a 3ft SSW swell and slight air, but it’s still only marginal. This is a real desert period, about a week or so with nothing worth paddling out for.
Honestly, if you’re desperate, the Tuesday morning the 25th is the only real pick of the litter – light offshore wind, a 3ft swell, and some longer-period energy. It won’t be pumping, but it’ll be the cleanest you’ll see. Everything else is pretty much a write-off for paddle surfing; if the wind keeps up and the swell stays this size, it might be a better week to dust off the kite.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Wed afternoon, min 23°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
101 | 99 | 99 | 63 | 121 | 165 | 127 | 112 | 213 | 163 | 142 | 224 | 216 | 396 | 599 | 569 | 463 | 336 | 185 | 172 | 125 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:28AM1.36m | 5:09PM1.83m | 8:31AM1.43m | 6:11PM1.91m | 8:46AM1.49m | 6:58PM2.01m | 9:02AM1.55m | 7:38PM2.11m | 9:20AM1.61m | 8:13PM2.17m | 9:39AM1.67m | 8:47PM2.20m | 9:59AM1.75m | 9:22PM2.17m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:11AM1.35m | 1:13AM0.53m | 11:59AM1.32m | 1:50AM0.42m | 12:54PM1.24m | 2:22AM0.33m | 1:33PM1.15m | 2:49AM0.27m | 2:09PM1.05m | 3:15AM0.24m | 2:43PM0.95m | 3:40AM0.24m | 3:18PM0.85m | 4:04AM0.29m | |||||||
6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 17 | W 6 | W 6 | S 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 |
101 | 99 | 99 | 18 | 121 | 165 | 26 | 98 | 213 | 163 | 142 | 45 | 39 | 396 | 599 | 569 | 463 | 336 | 185 | 172 | 125 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 5 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | SSW 12 | SW 17 | SW 16 | W 7 | W 8 | W 7 | SW 16 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 |
11 | 10 | 9 | 63 | 10 | 14 | 99 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 50 | 224 | 216 | 42 | 133 | 82 | 124 | 96 | 58 | 32 | 34 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 18 |
81 | 49 | 51 | 50 | 27 | 58 | 127 | 112 | 155 | 154 | 66 | 126 | 87 | 127 | 124 | 159 | 16 | 106 | 103 | 102 | 120 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | 75 | — | — | 58 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 53 | 91 | 0 | 104 | 135 | 6 | 23 | 76 | 17 | 104 | 135 | 24 | 99 | 41 | 36 | 36 | 85 | 28 | 36 | 99 | 29 |
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.











