Laguna Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, this is Rusty. I’ve been staring at the charts for Laguna Beach and honestly, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—this outlook is a bit of a bummer. The next 16 days are looking pretty flat and uninspiring, with no real standouts to get excited about. There’s a long gap of poor conditions right from the start, and it’s not until the end of the first week that we see even a glimmer of something worth paddling out for.

The water’s sitting at 69°, which is about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year—that’s a nice little bonus if you’re in the water, but it’s not gonna fix the lack of waves.

Let’s break it down. From Sunday the 19th straight through, the swell is tiny—mostly 2 ft to 4 ft from the SW or SSW. The wind is almost always a cross-onshore or fully onshore, which is a real killer for Laguna Beach. It’s a reef break, and with that kind of wind, it’s just gonna be messy and choppy. The combined energy is weak to moderate at best, with values like 245 and 359, which is not enough to get the reef working properly. The period is long, around 14 to 17 seconds, which for a reef break can be okay, but there’s just no size to back it up. The forecast says “poor surf conditions” or “marginal” for almost every session, and scores are mostly 0 or 1. There’s nothing here for anyone—beginners, intermediates, or experts.

The only real change comes around Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th, when the swell bumps up slightly to 3 ft–3 ft from the SSW, with a period of 19 to 21 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 856 and 899, which is moderate wave energy. But the wind is still cross-onshore, 6 mph from the SSW, so it’s not clean. The forecast is still “marginal,” with scores of 2—still not enough to call it a good session. This is the best the window has to offer, but it’s a very low bar. The long period (21 seconds) could give some nice lines at Laguna Beach if the wind switches, but it’s not looking like it will.

From Monday the 27th to Wednesday the 29th, the swell holds around 3 ft to 4 ft, with energy still moderate (562 to 959). The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s still not clean. This is the most consistent stretch of the forecast, but it’s hardly pumping. The longest period swell (up to 19 seconds) might give a few sets, but it’s a reef break, and the cross-onshore wind will make it frustrating.

After that, it drops off a cliff. From Thursday the 30th to Monday the 3rd of August, the swell fades to 1 ft–3 ft, with energy dropping to as low as 15. The wind is still onshore or cross-onshore, and the period shortens to 9–14 seconds. It’s a total write-off.

So, if you’re desperate, the best window is from Saturday the 25th to Wednesday the 29th, with morning sessions seeing the lightest winds. But honestly, the water is warm, the crowds are likely (given it’s often crowded), and the waves are small and messy. For a break that’s fairly consistent, this is a tough run. It’s not worth planning a trip around. Blame the summer doldrums.

Rusty.

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