Huntington Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. We're looking at a 16-day window for the Huntington Cliffs area, and I gotta tell ya, it's a tough one. The whole forecast is a real mixed bag of small, weak surf and choppy conditions. There's no single standout session that's gonna have you racing for your board. The water is a warm 72°F, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year – feels like a bathtub, but it's the only inviting thing about it.

The first week is a write-off. From Sunday, August 2nd right through to Saturday, August 9th, we're looking at tiny, feeble waves. Swell heights are stuck between 1ft and 2ft with a weak energy rating (mostly under 160). The winds are all over the place, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. The wave comment for every single session is "poor surf conditions." There's just nothing to work with here.

We start to see a bit more life in the water heading into the second week. On Sunday, August 9th morning, the swell bumps up to 3ft from the SSW, with a period of 15 seconds, and the energy climbs to 257 – still not great, but it's a start. The wind is light and offshore from the SW, so it might be clean, but it's only a "marginal surf forecast." The real jump in energy happens around Friday, August 14th. The afternoon sees a 3ft SSW groundswell (period 17 seconds) with a powerful 589 energy rating – that's the most juice we'll see in the whole window. The wind is onshore though, which will mess it up. Saturday, August 15th has a similar story: 3ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and a massive 492 energy on the morning session, with near-calm winds (3 mph). That's your best shot. It's still "marginal" according to the notes, but that's the cleanest, most powerful wave on offer. Huntington Cliffs is a beginner-friendly spot, and with a 3ft swell, it's still manageable. But it's also "often" crowded, so expect company.

After that, it trails off again. The energy drops through the 300s and 200s, and the winds go back to cross-onshore, chopping it up. Sunday, August 16th and Monday, August 17th are back to "poor surf conditions."

So, all in all, if you're desperate, keep an eye on the early morning of Saturday, August 15th. That's your one glimmer. Otherwise, this stretch is a real bummer for paddle surfing. The onshore winds and small size make it more interesting for kite surfing than anything else.

Rusty.

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