Newport Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Honestly, it’s a pretty flat run, mate. We’ve got a long stretch ahead with very little to get excited about. The first real sniff of anything surfable doesn’t show up until Friday morning the 14th, and even then, it’s marginal at best. From there, through to the 25th, it’s a real struggle – lots of days with poor surf conditions and hardly any size.

Let’s start with the only half-decent window. On Friday morning, August 14th, we might see a small pulse around 2 ft from the SSW with a period of 19 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell. The water temp is sitting at 73 °F, which is a solid 6 °F warmer than average for this time of year, so it’s very unusual to be swimming in bathwater. That little Friday window will be at Newport Beach (river), but the wind is a light cross-onshore, and the combined swell energy is moderate (403). It’s still just “marginal” though – a real "maybe" session for the keen early bird.

The swell tries to nudge up a touch over the weekend of the 15th and 16th, with Saturday afternoon seeing the best height of the whole period at 3 ft from the SSW (period 16s). Combined energy hits 566 – moderate but workable. Winds are light and onshore, so it won't be pretty. Crowds are “often” a problem here, and with conditions this average, there’s not much to fight for. Sunday morning the 16th offers a similar story: 3 ft, cross-on wind. Still poor.

After that, it fades fast. From the 17th through to the 25th, we're looking at tiny waves – mostly 1 ft to 3 ft, with onshore or cross-onshore winds, and combined energy dropping down into the 100–300 range, which is weak. The last few days of the period, the 24th and 25th, bring a bit of rain but no real surf.

The best on offer? Honestly, it’s a toss-up between Friday morning the 14th and Saturday afternoon the 15th, but neither is a standout. If I had to pick one, I’d say Saturday afternoon, August 15th – the 3 ft SSW swell with light onshore wind and moderate energy (566) is about as good as it gets. Beginners might find it okay, but it’s not exactly a day to clear the calendar.

For the rest, there’s just nothing going on. A long, quiet spell. As always, forecasts can shift, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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