Newport Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Newport Beach over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you: it’s a slow, quiet stretch for the most part. We’ve got a real lean patch ahead, so don’t be expecting much to get excited about.

The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 22nd kicks off with tiny, weak swell – only 2ft from the SSW, but it’s coming with a cross-onshore wind that’s chopping things up. The combined energy is weak (158), and the water is a touch warmer than normal at 70°. That’s about 3° above average for this time of year, so it’s noticeable but not crazy. Still, the surf is poor and honestly, not worth paddling out for.

Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are more of the same: small swell around 1ft to 2ft, light cross-onshore breezes, and the wave comment says it all – poor surf conditions. The combined energy stays moderate at best, hitting 244 on Sunday and 333 on Monday morning. There’s just nothing to work with.

We roll through Tuesday the 25th, Wednesday the 26th, and Thursday the 27th, and the pattern holds. Swell bumps up a little – 4ft on Wednesday morning from the S with a period of 13 seconds – but the wind is cross or cross-onshore, and the surf is still messy. The combined energy climbs to 758 on Wednesday morning, which is moderate, but with the wind and the short period, it’s not translating into clean waves. You’d be fighting chop.

Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th see a slight improvement, but it’s marginal. Saturday morning has 3ft from the SSW with a period of 17 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell, which is promising for shape, but the wind is light cross-onshore. The combined energy is 635, solid moderate. The afternoon gets a score of 1 out of 10, with a note about marginal surf or questionable tide. It’s the best we’ve seen, but that’s not saying much.

Sunday the 30th through Tuesday the 1st of September stays in that same marginal zone. The best of this stretch is Tuesday morning the 1st of September: 4ft from the S with a 14-second period, light onshore wind, and combined energy of 698. It’s clean-ish, but the wind is onshore, so it’s not going to be glassy.

Wednesday the 2nd of September offers a similar setup – 4ft from the S, period 12 seconds, light onshore wind in the morning. The energy is 564. Still, it’s only a marginal call.

The rest of the forecast into the second week, from Thursday the 3rd of September through Sunday the 6th of September, doesn’t produce anything that stands out. Swell stays small, around 2ft to 4ft, with cross-onshore winds and poor surf conditions. The combined energy flirts with moderate numbers (882 on Friday the 4th), but the wind keeps it messy.

The only break on offer here is Newport Beach, a river mouth that’s sheltered and fairly consistent, but it’s a beginner-friendly spot. With the swell staying under 5ft for the whole period, it’s not too big for anyone, but the problem is the quality. Crowds are likely here – it’s often busy – and with the lack of decent swell, it’s going to be a battle for scraps.

Honestly, there’s no standout session in this 16-day window. The closest thing to a decent wave is the 3ft to 4ft groundswell we get on the 29th of August and into early September, but the wind won’t cooperate. If you’re desperate, the Saturday morning of the 29th of August or Tuesday morning of the 1st of September might give you a few clean-ish ones, but don’t expect much.

It’s a quiet run, folks. This area tends to have these blank spells, and this is one of them. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d save your energy.

Rusty.

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