Newport Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the Newport Beach stretch over the next couple of weeks, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a quiet one for a while.

We start off on Sunday the 23rd with the very definition of a flat spell. Tiny little 1ft swell from the SW with a super-long 18-second period, but it’s crossed-up by a W wind at 12 mph. The combined wave energy is weak at just 270. Water temps are sitting at 72°, which feels much warmer than normal for this time of year. Honestly, for paddle surfing, it’s a write-off for days. That poor showing stretches all the way through Monday and Tuesday, with swell bumping up to just 2ft on the 24th and 25th, but the wind's either on it or cross-on, ruining any chance of a clean line.

We get a little bump in energy mid-week. On Wednesday the 26th, the swell pushes to 4ft from the S, with the combined energy hitting a moderate 698. But the wind is cross-on from the S at 6 mph, keeping it choppy. Still labeled as poor. Thursday and Friday don’t offer any hope either, with similar conditions and wind messing things up. The combined energy stays moderate, around 380 to 390, but the wind is never quite right.

There's a brief flicker of life on Saturday morning, August 29th. Swell size is 3ft from the SSW at a decent 17-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 619. The wind is light from the WSW, just a slight air, so it could be glassy early, giving you those "light cross-onshore with small wind ripples." It’s still only a marginal call, but it’s the best we’ve seen in over a week.

From there, it’s a proper gap. We go through the end of August and into the first week of September with nothing recommended. The wind stays stubbornly cross or cross-on, and the swell mixes up but never finds a clean window, except for one standout.

The one true standout in this whole 16-day window lands on the 6th of September. Saturday morning the 5th has some decent clean conditions from a NNW cross-offshore breeze at 6 mph, with 4ft SSW swell. The combined energy jumps to a strong 827. But the real highlight is the morning of Sunday, September 6th. This is what we've been waiting for. The swell is 5ft from the S, with a long 14-second period. The combined energy is a serious 1315 – that's strong to very strong wave energy. The wind is light from the SW, almost glassy. It's flagged as marginal for tide, but with that energy and those winds, it will be the most powerful and cleanest surf on offer. It's a bit big for beginners, but for the experienced crew, it’s the time to paddle out. The afternoon of the 6th holds 5ft, but the wind swings cross-on.

So, in short: you’re looking at a long dry spell until that late-season pulse on September 6th. Keep that date locked in.

Rusty.

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