Laguna Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a tough stretch ahead for Laguna Beach. The whole 16-day window is a real struggle, with nothing offering a true standout session. The water is sitting at a very unusual 74°F – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, almost 6° warmer, so you’ll be comfortable in a shorty or even boardies.

The first few days are a write-off. Sunday the 6th is flat with a tiny 2ft WNW swell and weak energy (89), mixed with light rain and a cross-shore. Not worth paddling out. Monday the 7th brings a jump in size to 5ft from the SSW, but it’s a messy cross-onshore wind and the combined energy (984) is moderate. The conditions are choppy and poor, so leave it.

The middle of the week is a long, frustrating gap. From Tuesday the 8th right through to Saturday the 21st of September, the swell stays small, mostly between 1ft and 3ft, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore. The wave comment reads “poor surf conditions” or “marginal” for nearly every session. The periods are often long (16-19 seconds), which is good for shape in theory, but with such tiny swell and wrong wind, it’s just not coming together. The energy values are consistently weak, mostly in the 100-400 range. There’s nothing here for a paddler.

The only glimmer comes on Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th of September, with a 2ft SSW swell and a light onshore wind. The period is a solid 16-17 seconds, suggesting some long-period groundswell energy, but the onshore wind will kill any chance of a clean face. It’s a last resort for the dedicated only.

Honestly, for the next 16 days, the setup at Laguna Beach looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the constant cross-to-onshore breeze and small, weak swell. The lack of consistent, clean surf is a tough reality for this area right now. Hang in there, it’ll turn around.

Rusty.

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