Orange County, California
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s with light SSE winds.
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 6s with light SSE winds.
Best window·Sunday 11AM–2PM·4-6ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at 13th Street, Orange County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light SSE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 13mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 17s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with light winds out of the SE. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and very poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on S swell at 13s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 5–6ft, 14s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 5-6ft on S swell at 14s with light winds out of the WNW. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on SSW swell at 13s with light WNW winds. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and very poor by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when 13th Street turns Good.
Check 13th Street from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
13th Street is a popular sandy beach break in Huntington Beach that works best during fall and winter swells when Southern Hemisphere groundswell reaches Southern California. The beach offers forgiving, peaky waves ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers, with consistent peaks breaking across the broad sandy bottom. Expect crowds year-round at this accessible, well-maintained beach break that's perfect for learning or cruising fun, small waves.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at 13th Street is 1-2ft with a 5.3s swell period. Wind is SSE at 5mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at 13th Street is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.2ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.3ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, a 1.1ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf 13th Street is Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 5ft waves, a 13.8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
13th Street works best with a SSW swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at 13th Street. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
13th Street is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. 13th Street is a popular sandy beach break in Huntington Beach that works best during fall and winter swells when Southern Hemisphere groundswell reaches Southern California. The beach offers forgiving, peaky waves ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers, with consistent peaks breaking across the broad sandy bottom. Expect crowds year-round at this accessible, well-maintained beach break that's perfect for learning or cruising fun, small waves.
The prime season at 13th Street is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at 13th Street include heavy crowds, swimmers and beach traffic. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our 13th Street forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
