
Surf Forecasts:
Thousand Steps surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 14s period, SSW swell with 966 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 14s 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 5s. 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 1.6m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 2AM. 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+) | 5AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thousand Steps over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week or so is pretty grim. We’ve got a decent-sized, long-period groundswell trying to push in, but the wind is just ruining it. For the first few days, it’s a cross-on mess, choppy and blown out. The swell is small, around 1ft to 2ft, and even though the period is long (16 to 18 seconds), that onshore wind just kills any chance of a good wave. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 128 and 325 (moderate), but it doesn’t matter when the surface is like a washing machine. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
Now, things start to get a little more interesting around Saturday the 18th. The afternoon shows a shift to a light offshore wind from the SW, and the swell picks up to 2ft. The wave energy jumps to 364 (moderate), but it’s still pretty marginal. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out for.
The real standout window starts to open up on Sunday the 19th at Thousand Steps. The morning brings a cleaner 5ft swell from the S, with a light offshore wind from the SSW. The wave energy is pumping at 1200 (strong). The afternoon gets even better – 5ft from the SSW, with a clean offshore breeze from the WSW. This is the best day of the first week. The period drops to 13 seconds, but it’s still a solid, workable groundswell. This is the one to circle.
Monday the 20th has similar size, 5ft and 5ft, with offshore winds, but the energy drops a bit. Still a solid option, but not the standout.
After that, we hit a bit of a lull. Tuesday the 21st through Thursday the 23rd, the swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft, and the wind goes back to being cross-on or onshore. It’s a messy, weak period.
Next Friday, the 24th, we see another pulse. The morning has 4ft from the S, with offshore winds, and the energy is back up to 1081 (strong). The afternoon is a bit bigger at 5ft, but the wind swings onshore and there’s rain showers. The morning session is the call.
The weekend of the 25th and 26th is a mixed bag. Saturday the 25th has a consistent 4ft to 5ft from the SSW, but it’s cross-on all day. Sunday the 26th is the real sleeper of the second week. The swell drops to 3ft, but the period is a massive 19 seconds, and the wind is offshore. The energy is 1050 (strong). That’s a long-period groundswell for a reef break, and it will produce some beautiful, clean lines. The wave quality will be mint.
The final days, from the 27th to the 31st, have some small but clean windows. Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th have 4ft to 4ft swells with offshore winds, but the energy is more moderate. The last few days of the month drop back to small, weak, and mostly cross-on.
The best bet for the whole outlook is Sunday the 19th. That 5ft swell with a clean offshore wind is as good as it gets. The second standout is Sunday the 26th – smaller, but that 19-second period will make it a proper, clean groundswell session. It’s a little further out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s promising.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 20°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue morning, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
64 | 88 | 126 | 130 | 74 | 77 | 246 | 255 | 233 | 779 | 958 | 966 | 692 | 594 | 259 | 441 | 358 | 439 | 334 | 325 | 257 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 12:10PM1.76m | 11:19PM2.26m | 12:51PM1.80m | 00:08AM2.01m | 1:34PM1.84m | 1:01AM1.74m | 2:18PM1.86m | 2:06AM1.48m | 3:05PM1.88m | 3:41AM1.29m | 3:55PM1.89m | 5:53AM1.24m | 4:49PM1.91m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:15PM0.94m | 6:17AM0.16m | 6:15PM0.94m | 6:55AM0.36m | 7:21PM0.95m | 7:31AM0.58m | 8:39PM0.94m | 8:06AM0.79m | 10:09PM0.88m | 8:44AM0.98m | 11:38PM0.77m | 9:34AM1.13m | 00:45AM0.63m | ||||||||
5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
— | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 10 | W 10 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 13 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
35 | 68 | 50 | 24 | 14 | 77 | 246 | 255 | 206 | 779 | 958 | 966 | 692 | 594 | 259 | 441 | 358 | 439 | 334 | 325 | 257 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 19 | SW 14 | W 6 | S 12 | S 12 | S 15 | SSW 17 | WNW 15 | W 15 | W 5 | W 5 | SSW 16 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | W 5 | W 5 | SSE 12 | W 5 |
64 | 88 | 77 | 130 | 74 | 7 | 70 | 103 | 233 | 377 | 42 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 232 | 98 | 47 | 11 | 13 | 48 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 18 | S 12 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 13 | WNW 15 | — | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 20 | W 4 | W 5 | S 9 | SSW 8 | SSE 13 | S 7 | S 12 |
28 | 27 | 126 | 54 | 51 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 28 | 44 | — | 4 | 16 | 75 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 55 | 10 | 76 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 2 | — | SSE 2 | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | SSE 3 | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | W 5 | W 4 | — | — | W 4 | — |
1 | — | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 8 | — | — | 14 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 70 | 70 | 48 | 70 | 70 | 2 | 70 | 104 | 70 | 70 | 104 | 10 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 104 | 104 | 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.










