Huntington Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for Huntington Cliffs.

Straight off, we’ve got a long stretch ahead with very little to get fired up about. The first few days are a washout. Sunday the 12th is a no-go – cloudy with a light cross-on breeze and only 3ft of weak, short-period swell; the energy is barely there. Monday morning the 13th looks glassy with a 3ft, 14-second SSW swell, but the overall vibe is low, and it’s a fleeting moment of calm before the onshore kicks in. From Tuesday the 14th right through to the end of the third week of July, it’s a mix of onshore winds, cross-on breezes, and tiny, weak swell. We’re talking about a gap of nearly a week where the surf is just plain poor.

The water temperature is running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting around 68°F.

Now, the one real standout in this whole 16-day window is the morning of Saturday the 18th of July. The swell starts to build properly, with a 4ft SSE groundswell at 15 seconds. The combined energy jumps to a solid 1044, which is a decent, moderate push. The wind is light from the SSW and offshore, which is a huge plus – it should be clean. This is a beginner-friendly break, but that 4ft, long-period swell (over 15 seconds) can make it a bit tricky at a beach break, as it tends to break a bit straight. Still, this is the best call of the whole period. The next morning, Sunday the 19th, also has a 4ft swell but the wind is onshore, so the Saturday morning is the one to aim for.

Looking further out, the end of the month shows a pulse of bigger swell. Friday morning the 24th of July has a 6ft S swell with a 15-second period, and a massive 1463 in combined energy. That’s getting into expert territory – over 5ft and heading towards 8ft. The wind is offshore, but it’s a long-period groundswell that will be powerful. Saturday the 25th is still decent at 5ft, but the wind turns cross-on. These are promising but less certain being so far out.

For a break that’s *fairly consistent* and exposed to a WSW optimum, the fact that the best swell direction here is SSW to S means the waves will have some shape. This spot is often crowded, so expect company on the good days.

If you’ve got a kite, the bigger, choppier afternoons later in the month might be more interesting for you than a paddle.

That’s the long and short of it. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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