Surf Forecasts:
72nd Place surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period, SSW swell with 613 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for 72nd Place this week:
The surf forecast for 72nd Place over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at 72nd Place in the next 16 days are 1.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 72nd Place over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break down the upcoming surf at 72nd Place. I’ll be honest, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty lean for a proper paddle. Most of the forecast is tagged with "poor surf conditions," so don’t get too excited. We’re looking at a long stretch of cross-onshore and onshore wind, and the swell is tiny and weak. The water is sitting at about 69°, which is around 2° warmer than usual for this time of year – a bit on the warm side, but nothing wild.
The only real standout doesn’t show up until Thursday, September 4th, in the morning. The sky clears, the wind drops to almost nothing, and it goes glassy. That’s the one. We’ve got a 3ft swell out of the SSW, with a long period of 18 seconds (groundswell). That long period means the waves will have some real punch and shape, but it might be a bit straight for a beach break. The combined swell energy is 785 (moderate). It’s not huge, but after weeks of nothing, it’s a real gift. Remember, 72nd Place is an advanced spot and it’s inconsistent, so it’s not for beginners. Crowds can pop up sometimes.
Before that, there’s a near-miss on Wednesday, August 26th, in the morning. A 4ft southerly swell rolls in with a 13-second period and light wind, but it’s only marginal. The wind is onshore, so it’ll be a bit messy.
Honestly, from now until that glassy Thursday morning, there’s a solid two-week gap of nothing worth surfing. The swell energy is mostly weak, between 132 and 444 (weak to moderate), and the wind is always messing it up. The afternoons are especially bad with that moderate cross-onshore breeze making it choppy.
In the second week, the pattern doesn’t change much. There’s a bump in energy around the 3rd and 4th of September, with readings up to 975 (moderate), but the wind still ruins the afternoon sessions. The Thursday morning, September 4th is really the only window where everything lines up. It’s a long way off, but it’s the one to mark on the calendar.
If you’re a kite surfer, those windy, choppy afternoons might be fun, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long, quiet spell. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 22°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 183 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 99 | 63 | 121 | 165 | 127 | 112 | 213 | 154 | 142 | 224 | 216 | 222 | 256 | 485 | 461 | 613 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:53PM1.82m | 8:28AM1.37m | 5:11PM1.85m | 8:33AM1.44m | 6:12PM1.93m | 8:47AM1.50m | 7:00PM2.03m | 9:04AM1.56m | 7:39PM2.12m | 9:22AM1.62m | 8:15PM2.19m | 9:41AM1.69m | 8:49PM2.21m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:23AM0.65m | 10:13AM1.36m | 1:14AM0.53m | 12:00PM1.33m | 1:52AM0.43m | 12:55PM1.25m | 2:23AM0.34m | 1:35PM1.16m | 2:51AM0.27m | 2:10PM1.06m | 3:17AM0.24m | 2:45PM0.96m | 3:42AM0.25m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 26 |
Feels °C | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | S 14 | SW 17 | W 6 | W 6 | S 13 | W 7 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 183 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 99 | 19 | 121 | 165 | 26 | 98 | 213 | 150 | 142 | 63 | 53 | 222 | 181 | 485 | 461 | 613 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | W 5 | W 6 | SSW 12 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 13 | W 7 | W 14 | W 7 |
| kJ | 16 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 63 | 16 | 15 | 99 | 112 | 21 | 25 | 50 | 224 | 216 | 127 | 256 | 96 | 37 | 73 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | S 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | W 18 | S 16 | SW 16 | SW 21 | W 13 |
| kJ | 14 | 8 | 81 | 49 | 51 | 50 | 27 | 58 | 127 | 50 | 155 | 154 | 66 | 89 | 128 | 24 | 239 | 159 | 17 | 31 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 7 | — | — | W 7 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | 24 | — | — | 71 | — | — | 70 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 144 | 20 | 53 | 68 | 0 | 91 | 144 | 9 | 144 | 50 | 0 | 101 | 144 | 26 | 91 | 91 | 28 | 28 | 76 | 28 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Los Angeles County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the 72nd Place Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for 72nd Place provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at 72nd Place can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our 72nd Place surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (72nd Place) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for 72nd Place may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
72nd Place is 0 km (0 miles) from the city of Seal Beach. If you plan a vacation in Los Angeles County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Seal Beach. Seal Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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