Laguna Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – the outlook for Laguna Beach over the next 16 days is a real mixed bag, and honestly, it’s mostly a flat spell with a few flickers of hope. The reef setup here is fairly consistent, so we’re used to seeing something, but this stretch is a tough one.

We kick off on Wednesday, 5th August, with tiny 0.4m (that’s about 1 feet) SW swell, period around 14 seconds, but the wind is onshore from the WSW at 10 to 15 km/h (about 6 to 9 mph). The combined energy is weak, only 91, and the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. Water temp is a balmy 24° (about 75°F), a whopping 4° warmer than normal – that’s very unusual, a proper warm spell. But it’s not enough to save the surf. Nothing to ride, folks.

Thursday, 6th August, stays grim. Morning sees 0.5m (2 feet) from the SW with a light cross-onshore breeze, combined energy still low at 92. Afternoon bumps up slightly to 0.6m (2 feet), but still onshore. Poor conditions across the board.

Friday, 7th August, we get a bit more period – 19 seconds – with 0.5m to 0.6m (2 to 2 feet) SSW swell. The cross-onshore wind is light, but the energy creeps up to 330 (moderate energy). That longer period (19 seconds) is a groundswell, which can be good for a reef, but the height is just too small. Morning is poor, afternoon is marginal at best, with a score that barely whispers.

Saturday, 8th August, is similar: 0.6m to 0.7m (2 to 2 feet) SSW swell, onshore wind, energy around 276 to 288. Still poor. Honestly, the first week is a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is never clean, and there’s no standout.

Now, here’s where it gets a little interesting. From Sunday, 9th August, through to the end of the second week, the swell height stays between 0.5m and 0.9m (2 to 3 feet) from the SSW, but the period frequently hangs around 15 to 19 seconds. The combined energy values start to climb into the 300s and 400s (moderate to strong energy), especially on Friday, 14th August, when we see 530 (strong energy) for the afternoon. That’s a sign there’s some real juice in the water, but the height is still limited. The wind is consistently light and mostly cross-onshore or onshore, so the surface is never truly glassy. Morning sessions on Saturday, 15th, and Sunday, 16th, show marginal conditions with light cross-onshore breeze and a little wind ripple – not ideal, but you might get a few.

The best on offer? Honestly, there’s no true standout. The most promising window is around Friday, 14th, through to Monday, 17th August. The swell is consistent at 0.8m to 0.9m (3 to 3 feet) from the SSW, with periods of 15 to 19 seconds, and energy values in the 300s to 500s. For a reef break like Laguna Beach, that long-period groundswell can wrap in nicely, but the onshore/cross-onshore wind will keep it a bit messy. If I had to pick, the morning of Saturday, 15th August, with 0.8m (3 feet) SSW swell at 16 seconds and light cross-onshore breeze, might offer the cleanest chance – but it’s still marginal. Crowds are often here, so you’ll have company.

For the rest of the second week (17th to 20th August), it’s more of the same: 0.5m to 0.8m (2 to 3 feet) swell, light winds, poor to marginal conditions. The combined energy drops back to the 100s and 200s by the 20th, so it fizzles out.

Look, for the first 10 days, you’re barely getting a wave. The second week has a pulse of energy, but the wind never truly cooperates for clean, glassy surf. Beginners might find the 0.5m to 0.9m (2 to 3 feet) swell manageable, but the poor quality means it’s not worth the paddle. Experts will be frustrated by the lack of size and the wind. There’s a gap of about 8 days with no real recommendations from the start until the marginal window opens on the 9th. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a long, quiet stretch.

Rusty.

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