
Surf Forecasts:
Thousand Steps surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 366 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thousand Steps this week:
The surf forecast for Thousand Steps over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thousand Steps in the next 16 days are 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thousand Steps over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you: looking at the next couple of weeks, it's not exactly firing. We've got a long stretch of small, unimpressive surf ahead.
The standout is Thousand Steps (Big Island), but even it is only looking marginal for the most part. The water is a massive 75°F with an anomaly of 9°F warmer than usual—that's way out of the ordinary for this time of year. The swell energy is weak to moderate, ranging from 91 to 547. We'll see a mix of on and cross-onshore winds, which will keep things a bit bumpy.
Tuesday the 4th is a write-off, with tiny 1ft SW swell and a cross-on breeze. Wednesday and Thursday stay small, with that same SW swell in the 1ft to 2ft range. Winds stay light and onshore, but the surf is just too weak to get excited about.
Friday the 7th sees a nice bump in period, hitting 19 seconds, but the swell height is still only 2ft. That long period means it might be a bit walled at the beach breaks, but at a reef like this, it could offer a little more shape. Still, the energy is moderate at 330, and the cross-onshore wind isn't helping. It's a no-go.
Saturday the 8th finally shows a glimmer, with the swell picking up to 2ft-2ft and energy at 276-289. It's rated as "marginal," which is the best we're going to see for a while, but it's still not worth paddling out for unless you're desperate for a few ankle-biters.
The rest of that first week and into the second just stays poor. We're looking at a gap of several days with nothing rideable. The swell hovers around 2ft to 2ft, with periods varying from 13 to 18 seconds. Winds stay light, but the cross-onshore component keeps things messy.
Now, here's the one to keep an eye on. Around Friday the 14th and into Saturday the 15th, the energy starts to build properly, hitting 523-547. The swell pushes up to 3ft with a 19-second period. This is the most promising window. The morning of Friday the 14th looks clean with light onshore winds, and the afternoon is even better, with light winds and that bigger, longer-period swell. This is a legit long-period groundswell, and at a reef break like Thousand Steps, it could actually produce some decent, lined-up waves. It's the standout for sure.
Saturday the 15th keeps that 3ft-3ft swell, but the wind swings to the west and gets stronger, making it choppy. Sunday the 16th is similar, with moderate cross-onshore breezes in the afternoon. After that, we ease back into the small stuff for the rest of the window.
So, to cap it off: don't bother with a board until that Friday the 14th. Keep your eyes on that SSW swell and hope the winds stay light. It's not going to be huge, but it's got the most potential for a few clean ones. The rest is just a waiting game.
Later,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun morning, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
77 | 75 | 71 | 71 | 97 | 88 | 114 | 126 | 212 | 210 | 348 | 237 | 229 | 366 | 249 | 242 | 218 | 161 | 139 | 184 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:11AM1.31m | 2:33PM1.95m | 4:27AM1.19m | 3:40PM2.02m | 6:50AM1.26m | 4:54PM2.11m | 7:53AM1.38m | 6:04PM2.24m | 8:33AM1.49m | 7:04PM2.37m | 9:08AM1.60m | 7:57PM2.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:41PM0.85m | 7:21AM0.94m | 10:19PM0.74m | 8:05AM1.09m | 11:49PM0.55m | 9:35AM1.20m | 00:54AM0.34m | 11:22AM1.23m | 1:46AM0.15m | 12:41PM1.16m | 2:31AM0.01m | 1:42PM1.05m | 3:13AM-0.06m | |||||||
— | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
9 | 75 | 71 | 71 | 97 | 88 | 114 | 84 | 212 | 113 | 348 | 237 | 229 | 366 | 249 | 242 | 218 | 161 | 139 | 99 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 13 | W 5 | SSW 12 | W 4 | W 5 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | W 5 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
77 | 41 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 80 | 126 | 114 | 210 | 130 | 36 | 56 | 71 | 4 | 30 | 30 | 65 | 97 | 184 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | W 6 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 9 | S 12 | S 11 | W 4 | W 5 | W 12 | W 15 | W 4 | W 4 | SW 9 | S 8 | W 5 | S 11 | WSW 6 | SW 16 | W 6 |
22 | 5 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 3 | 39 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 4 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 104 | 0 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 70 | 104 | 39 | 70 | 104 | 70 | 70 | 104 | 55 | 70 | 151 | 51 | 70 | 70 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Thousand Steps Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Thousand Steps provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Thousand Steps can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Thousand Steps 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 (Thousand Steps) 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 Thousand Steps 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.
Thousand Steps is 4 km (2 miles) from Laguna Niguel. If you plan a vacation in Orange County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Laguna Niguel. Laguna Niguel has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











