Surf Forecasts:
Sunset Beach surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 13s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SSW swell with 679 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Sunset Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Sunset Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sunset Beach in the next 16 days are 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11AM. 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+) | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sunset Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, looking at the charts for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a bit of a slow one for this stretch of coast. We’ve got a long gap before anything really worth paddling out for shows up.
For the first week, from Saturday the 18th right through to Thursday the 23rd, it’s pretty flat and messy. The swell is small, mostly under 3 feet, and the wind is on it or cross-on it, making for poor, choppy conditions. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking 300 to 600 (moderate energy). It’s not worth the wax.
Things start to look a little more interesting around Friday the 24th. The swell picks up a touch, and we get a bit more energy in the water. The standout, and really the only window worth aiming for, is the morning of Saturday the 25th at Sunset Beach. The swell is coming from the SSW at 4 feet, with a period of 14 seconds – that’s a decent groundswell that should have some shape. The combined energy is strong, hitting 1244 (strong wave energy). It’s a sandbar break, and it’s fairly consistent. The wind is a light cross-on from the S, so it’ll be a bit rippled but still surfable. The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s not a perfect day, but it’s the best on offer in a pretty quiet run. This one is more for the intermediate crowd; the size is manageable.
Following that, the Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th mornings have some okay-looking SSW swell around 4 feet with very long periods of 18-19 seconds. That long period stuff can be tricky at a beach break like Sunset, often breaking too straight, but if you can find a bank, the energy is there (1000+). The winds stay light, so it’s worth a look if you’re itching.
After that, the swell fades into the first week of August, with the last day on the charts, Sunday the 2nd, showing tiny 1 foot surf. It’s a long stretch of small, poor conditions. The forecasts can change, but right now, the 25th is your best bet.
Stay patient, and keep an eye on the sky.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Mon morning, min 20°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 11 | S 13 | SW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 77 | 246 | 255 | 114 | 273 | 350 | 411 | 383 | 255 | 298 | 679 | 358 | 439 | 334 | 325 | 257 | 243 | 345 | 299 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:11AM2.03m | 1:37PM1.86m | 1:05AM1.75m | 2:21PM1.88m | 2:10AM1.49m | 3:08PM1.90m | 3:45AM1.30m | 3:59PM1.91m | 5:56AM1.25m | 4:52PM1.92m | 7:42AM1.31m | 5:46PM1.96m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:58AM0.36m | 7:25PM0.96m | 7:34AM0.58m | 8:43PM0.94m | 8:10AM0.80m | 10:13PM0.88m | 8:48AM0.99m | 11:40PM0.77m | 9:38AM1.14m | 00:48AM0.63m | 10:51AM1.24m | 1:36AM0.51m | |||||||
 | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — |
 | 8:01 | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:59 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 23 |
Feels °C | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 11 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 13 | W 6 |
| kJ | 77 | 246 | 255 | 114 | 273 | 287 | 411 | 383 | 251 | 298 | 679 | 358 | 439 | 334 | 325 | 257 | 243 | 345 | 62 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | S 12 | S 12 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 16 | S 10 | W 5 | S 9 | W 5 | W 6 | SW 8 | W 6 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 10 | 43 | 70 | 65 | 235 | 350 | 2 | 4 | 255 | 96 | 4 | 60 | 18 | 21 | 14 | 31 | 161 | 120 | 299 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | WSW 6 | W 6 | SW 13 | W 5 | W 5 | W 15 | SSE 14 | SSW 20 | SSW 13 | SSE 14 | SW 12 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | SSE 13 | S 15 | SW 6 | SW 26 | S 12 |
| kJ | 25 | 10 | 5 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 20 | 75 | 113 | 20 | 47 | 61 | 37 | 33 | 109 | 11 | 105 | 141 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 4 | — | WNW 6 | W 5 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | — | 33 | 18 | 42 | 22 | 44 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 32 | 32 | 105 | 32 | 32 | 95 | 0 | 140 | 95 | 0 | 32 | 95 | 39 | 95 | 140 | 44 | 95 | 140 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Sunset Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Sunset Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Sunset Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Sunset Beach 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 (Sunset Beach) 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 Sunset Beach 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.
Sunset Beach is 4 km (2 miles) from the city of Seal Beach. If you plan a vacation in Orange 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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