Surf Forecasts:
Thousand Steps surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with 280 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. 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 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) 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 (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thousand Steps over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this isn’t one of those epic runs where you’re scrambling to find your wettie every day. We’ve got a solid 16-day window here, but it’s mostly small and on the marginal side. The swell is coming from the SSW to SW, which is a good direction for Thousand Steps (a reef break), but the size just doesn’t get up there for most of it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there.
The first few days from Tuesday the 18th through to the end of the week are pretty lackluster. We’re looking at tiny surf – only 1ft to 3ft of swell. It’s a very long period groundswell (13 to 16 seconds), which means it will have some energy, but it’s just not enough push to get you excited. The wind is mostly light, either offshore or cross-onshore, so the surface will be clean enough, but the wave size is the killer. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 118 and 327. Honestly, this is board-short weather, not really a paddle-out session.
We roll into the weekend of the 23rd and 24th, and it’s more of the same. Still small (1ft to 2ft), long period swell (17-19 seconds), but it’s a little too straight for a beach break. For a reef like Thousand Steps, that long period might actually wrap in okay, but it’s just so small. The energy is moderate but still low (237 to 276). It’s a “might get a fun little one if you’re patient” kind of deal.
Now, the one window that catches my eye is the end of the run. Saturday, August 29th is the true standout. Swell jumps up to 3ft to 3ft from the SSW, with a solid 17-second period. The combined energy hits 570 to 645 – that’s moderate energy and the highest we see in the whole forecast. The wind is light and cross-onshore, so the surface will have a few ripples but it’s still very surfable. This is a proper long-period groundswell that will really line up on that reef. For an intermediate, this is the best session on offer. Because it’s a reef, crowds are possible, so get there early.
Sunday the 30th tries to keep it going with 3ft swell, but the wind gets a bit more aggressive from the south at 12 mph, making it choppier. Not terrible, but the 29th is the cleaner option.
After that, into the first week of September, it fades back to 2ft to 2ft and the energy drops off. The consistent cross-onshore wind keeps it from being truly clean, and it’s back to the marginal stuff.
So, to wrap it up: this is a quiet period with one real highlight. Saturday, August 29th is your best bet. The swell is just over three feet, the direction is perfect for the break, and the energy is there. The rest of the time, you’re looking at a longboard or a day off. The gap between now and the 29th is a long stretch of small, average surf, but that one day makes it worth keeping an eye on.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed afternoon, min 21°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 23°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
203 | 181 | 242 | 270 | 280 | 196 | 183 | 183 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 98 | 63 | 120 | 165 | 127 | 112 | 210 | 154 | 142 | 175 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:44PM1.88m | 3:28AM1.21m | 2:37PM1.83m | 3:50PM1.80m | 8:27AM1.36m | 5:08PM1.83m | 8:30AM1.43m | 6:10PM1.91m | 8:44AM1.49m | 6:57PM2.01m | 9:00AM1.55m | 7:36PM2.10m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 9:19PM0.80m | 7:04AM1.13m | 11:02PM0.75m | 00:21AM0.65m | 10:10AM1.35m | 1:12AM0.53m | 11:58AM1.32m | 1:49AM0.43m | 12:53PM1.24m | 2:20AM0.34m | 1:32PM1.15m | 2:48AM0.27m | |||||||||
6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 7:34 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | W 6 | SW 17 | W 7 |
39 | 41 | 242 | 270 | 280 | 196 | 183 | 183 | 175 | 101 | 99 | 98 | 63 | 120 | 165 | 99 | 98 | 210 | 25 | 142 | 91 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 16 | W 6 | W 6 | W 10 | SW 19 | SW 18 | W 5 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 17 |
203 | 181 | 38 | 42 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 51 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 127 | 112 | 21 | 154 | 50 | 175 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 9 | SW 20 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | S 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | S 14 | S 13 |
67 | 66 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 57 | 14 | 8 | 81 | 50 | 6 | 42 | 27 | 58 | 86 | 50 | 155 | 52 | 66 | 89 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 47 | 33 | 134 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 70 | 104 | 0 | 59 | 104 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 2 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 70 | 104 | 0 | 104 | 61 | 104 | 104 | 7 | 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.











