Newport Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming our way. Gotta be straight with you – this stretch is a tough one. We’ve got a long, flat spell ahead, so don’t get your hopes up too early.

The first real chance to get wet won’t come until Friday, September 11th, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about. The whole period before that is pretty much a write-off with poor conditions.

For the first week and a half, we’re looking at onshore and cross-onshore winds messing up what little swell there is. The waves are small, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind just chops it all up. Swell energy is weak to moderate, with readings mostly in the hundreds, like 354 on August 28th, struggling to build much past 800 at best, but the wind direction ruins it. The water is much warmer than normal for this time of year at 75°F, which is a bonus if you’re just having a paddle, but not worth paddling out for.

Finally, on Friday, September 11th, things change. The wind goes glassy in the morning, with a light S wind at 3 mph. The swell is still small, only 2 ft from the southwest. But that glassy wind makes it surfable for a beginner or someone just wanting to get a few soft waves. The swell energy is low (262), and the period is a long 16 seconds, which means long waits between sets. It’s not a standout, but it’s the only window we’ve got.

Newport Beach is the only spot on the cards. It’s a sheltered river mouth break, so it needs a proper swell to work. The swell direction from the SSW is just about right for it, but the size is tiny. The crowds are often here, so even for these small, clean waves, you might have company.

The following Saturday morning, the 12th, the wind swings cross-onshore again, and we’re back to poor conditions. So if you’re keen, you’ve really only got that Friday morning window.

There’s no big swell coming, no quality waves. This is a classic blank run for this area, where the breaks need a lot to line up. Forecasts can change, but right now, keep the board in the car and the wax in the drawer.

Rusty.

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