Laguna Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a 16-day window for Laguna Beach, and I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough run. The water is sitting at 73°F which is a solid 6°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual.

For the first few days, right from August 8th through the weekend, the swell is tiny – around 2ft to 3ft – and coming from the SSW. It’s got some decent period, 14 to 16 seconds, so there’s a bit of energy from a groundswell, but the problem is the wind. It’s cross-on or onshore pretty much the whole time. Saturday afternoon has a 12 mph W breeze making it choppy. The combined energy stays weak, under 300 for most of these days. The surf is just poor. You’ll see a lot of "poor surf conditions" in the data, and that’s the reality. There’s really nothing worth paddling out for in the first week.

Into the second week, around August 14th, the swell picks up a notch. Still small, 2ft to 3ft, but the period gets longer – up to 19 seconds. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 385 on Friday the 14th and then 430 on the afternoon. That means there’s some push behind it, but again the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on from the W or WSW. The surf quality is described as "marginal" at best, and I’d call it a struggle. Saturday the 15th shows 3ft with 16-second period and strong energy (553 combined), but that’s paired with a 12 mph cross-on wind creating choppy conditions. That’s a miss.

The standout – if you can call it that – is the small window on Wednesday morning, August 19th. We’ve got 3ft of SSW swell with a 15-second period, and light cross-shore wind from the S at 6 mph. That’s the cleanest wind we see all period. The energy is moderate at 335. It’s still a marginal call for Laguna Beach reef, but if you’re itching, that morning offers the best chance for a few clean lines. The swell direction (SSW) is not an ideal match for the optimum WNW, so the waves will be a bit soft and wrapping in, but it’s the best on offer.

For the rest of the run, it’s the same story: tiny swell, poor wind, and a lot of choppy, messy water. Crowds are likely at Laguna Beach any time there’s a pulse, but with quality this low, it might be quiet. Overall, this 16-day outlook is a long, flat stretch with very little to get excited about. Keep your board waxed and wait for a better window. The forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a big fat skip.

Rusty.

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