Laguna Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it’s not looking like a classic stretch for Laguna Beach. The surf is pretty small and the wind is stuck in that cross-onshore groove, which is never ideal for a reef break. The water is sitting at 71°, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, so you can leave the full wetsuit at home.

We’ve got a few windows where it might be worth a paddle, but nothing is really screaming standout. The best bet in the whole 16-day window rolls around on Saturday morning, July 24th, into Saturday afternoon, July 25th. On the 24th, we’ve got a small 2ft SW swell with a period of 24 seconds, which is a very long period groundswell. That’s a quality signal, but the combined swell energy is only 489 (moderate), and the cross-on 9 mph wind from the south will keep it from being glassy. The wave comment says “poor surf conditions,” so keep expectations low. The next morning, July 25th, sees a bump to 3ft from the SSW, with a period of 21 seconds and energy of 693 (moderate). The wind drops to a light 6 mph, still cross-onshore, but with small wind ripples. It’s marginal, but it’s the most surfable moment we’ve got.

After that, it’s pretty grim. The afternoons on the 25th and 26th are poor, and the rest of the week into early August is a mix of marginal and poor conditions. There’s a noticeable gap from July 31st through August 1st morning with almost no swell energy (0 to 15). Then, on Saturday afternoon, August 1st, we get a flash of 5ft from the SSW with a 12-second period and energy of 739 (moderate). That’s the biggest swell of the whole run, but the wind is still light cross-onshore. It’s a long-range call, so it’s promising but less certain. The wave comment calls it “marginal.” Not a crowd-pleaser.

From August 2nd onward, it’s all downhill. The swell drops to 2ft or less, the energy falls into the weak range (under 100), and the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore. It’s a long, quiet stretch with no real standouts. For a fairly consistent reef like Laguna Beach, it’s a bummer, but it happens.

If you’re a beginner, the biggest swell (5ft on August 1st) is getting close to the limit, and the lack of clean conditions makes it less inviting. For experts, there’s nothing over 8ft, so it’s not a heavy day. The long period swells (over 15 seconds) we see on the 24th and 25th would be better if the wind was offshore, but at a reef, the long period should still offer some shape – just not perfect.

Honestly, the best advice I’ve got is to pick your moment on the morning of July 25th, or keep an eye on that August 1st afternoon if you’re feeling patient. Otherwise, it’s a lot of waiting for a wave that’s just not there.

Rusty.

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