
Surf Forecasts:
Thousand Steps surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 465 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period with SSW 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 5PM. 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 (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 21st Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thousand Steps over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s talk about Thousand Steps. It’s a reef break that’s open to the SW swell, built for intermediate surfers, and it breaks very consistently, so you know there’s usually a wave to be had. But for the next 16 days, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – it’s a tough stretch. There’s no standout, no day that’s gonna get the blood pumping. We’re looking at a long string of marginal to poor surf from now through the end of the month.
Starting Tuesday the 15th, we’ve got some clouds and a light cross-on wind from the S at 9 mph. The swell is a tiny 2 ft from the SW, but the period is a long 16 seconds – that’s real groundswell. The combined energy is weak at 172, and the report says poor surf. The water’s at 73°, which is more than 5° warmer than usual, so that’s very unusual. In the afternoon, it clears up, wind drops to 6 mph from the SSW, still cross-on, with a 1 ft SW swell and a very long 20-second period. Energy bumps to 254, but it’s still poor. That long period at a reef can make the waves a bit straight, and with the wind on it, it’s sloppy.
Wednesday the 16th, the morning swell picks up to 3 ft from the SSW with an 18-second period. Energy is moderate at 368, but the wind stays a light cross-on. By the afternoon, the wind goes onshore from the SW at 6 mph, so still not clean. It’s all labeled poor.
Thursday the 17th is the first day we see a “marginal” tag in the morning – 2 ft from the SSW, 16-second period, light onshore wind from the WSW at 6 mph. Energy is 361. You *could* paddle out, but it won’t be pretty. Afternoon goes back to poor.
Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th both have marginal mornings (2 ft, SW, 18-19s period, light onshore wind) and poor afternoons. Energy stays moderate in the 360s. The wind is light, but it’s never offshore or glassy.
Sunday the 20th is the closest thing to a highlight. Morning is still poor with 3 ft from the SW and a 9 mph cross-on. But the afternoon shows the highest energy of the whole run at 528, and the wind drops to almost nothing – just 3 mph onshore from the WSW. Swell is 3 ft from the SW with an 18-second period, and it’s called marginal. That’s the best we get, but it’s still not good. The waves will be small and the long period will make them inconsistent and a bit walled-up.
From Monday the 21st onward, it’s a slog. Swell stays between 2 ft and 3 ft from SW or SSW, with periods dropping from 17 seconds down to 12 seconds by the end of the month. Energy bounces between 220 and 344, mostly moderate. The wind is almost always cross-on or onshore, never offshore. By the last week of September, the period falls below 15 seconds, and the energy fizzles. The final days, Tuesday the 30th, are a pitiful 1 ft to 2 ft, poor conditions, and weak energy (181 to 240). There’s a 6-day gap at the end with no marginal calls at all – just straight poor.
For the whole 16 days, we’ve only got a handful of mornings that scrape into “marginal.” No standout whatsoever. The setup on most afternoons looks better for kite surfing than paddle surfing with the choppy cross-onshore wind. If you’re really keen, the Sunday afternoon the 20th is your best shot – small, relatively clean, but don’t get your hopes up. The rest is a bust. Forecasts can always change, so keep an eye out, but this one’s a struggle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 16 | SSW 20 | SW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
127 | 127 | 87 | 348 | 252 | 291 | 220 | 191 | 242 | 236 | 236 | 183 | 255 | 252 | 252 | 375 | 375 | 358 | 338 | 465 | 318 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:56AM1.99m | 1:27AM1.32m | 12:30PM1.90m | 4:01AM1.22m | 1:16PM1.80m | 2:38PM1.72m | 8:15AM1.44m | 4:24PM1.72m | 7:56AM1.50m | 5:38PM1.80m | 8:03AM1.57m | 6:29PM1.89m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 7:12PM0.64m | 5:39AM1.11m | 8:26PM0.71m | 5:03AM1.22m | 10:08PM0.73m | 11:37PM0.66m | 10:12AM1.43m | 00:31AM0.57m | 11:55AM1.34m | 1:08AM0.48m | 12:42PM1.22m | 1:37AM0.41m | |||||||||
6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:49 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | W 9 | SW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 |
127 | 39 | 87 | 348 | 252 | 291 | 220 | 191 | 242 | 118 | 104 | 139 | 255 | 252 | 252 | 375 | 375 | 71 | 338 | 465 | 318 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | SW 16 | W 8 | W 5 | W 5 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | W 5 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 17 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 |
22 | 88 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 25 | 116 | 111 | 236 | 236 | 13 | 99 | 96 | 17 | 26 | 38 | 358 | 56 | 27 | 26 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 13 | SW 21 | S 12 | WSW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 19 | W 6 | W 6 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
23 | 127 | 69 | 15 | 14 | 43 | 116 | 25 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 183 | 16 | 9 | 76 | 48 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 47 | 45 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 8 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | 66 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 70 | 219 | 13 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 104 | 104 | 0 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 70 | 110 | 44 | 70 | 104 | 39 |
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.










