Swell Intel

Doheny State Beach Surf Forecast, Orange County, California

Orange County, California

Strands Point1-2ftSalt Creek1-2ftPoche Beach1-2ft
Doheny State Beach surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
1-2ft
ankle to knee high
Swell Period
11.05s
Wind
8mph
SSE / Gusts 15mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Primary
0.9ft @ 3sS
Secondary
0.8ft @ 12sSSW
Tertiary
0.7ft @ 10sS

Nearest Webcam

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 311-2ft
Poor
6am9am12pm3pm
Wed, Apr 11-2ft
Poor

A slow one — 0-1ft waves and poor conditions with light winds out of the W.

6am9am12pm3pm
10s S|3-7mph N
Thu, Apr 21-2ft
Poor

Not the most exciting day — 0-1ft and poor conditions with light winds out of the NNE.

6am9am12pm3pm
8s SW|4mph N
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Sat
3ft
Swell building Sat, Apr 4Fair

19s period — conditions are improving beyond your forecast

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Forecast Charts

Doheny State Beach Surf Spot Guide

Break
Beach
Bottom
Cobblestone
Level
Beginner
Crowd
Heavy
Best Swell
S
Best Wind
NE
Season
Fall

Doheny State Beach in Dana Point is one of Orange County's classic beginner spots, with slow, forgiving waves peeling over cobblestone bottom. The long, mellow shoulders are perfect for longboarding and learning fundamentals. Near the San Juan Creek mouth, a sandbar/reef section picks up stronger swells. Caution: water quality degrades significantly after rain due to San Juan Creek runoff — a well-documented pollution issue that surfers should monitor.

Cobblestone bottomWater quality after rainCrowdsRocks in sections

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

Doheny State Beach Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Doheny State Beach?
The current wave height at Doheny State Beach is 1-2ft with a 11.05s swell period. Wind is SSE at 8mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
How accurate is the Doheny State Beach surf forecast?
Our Doheny State Beach 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.
What is the breaking wave height at Doheny State Beach?
The current breaking wave height at Doheny State Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 0.9ft S primary swell at 3s, a 0.8ft SSW secondary swell at 12s, a 0.7ft S tertiary swell at 10s. 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.
When is the best time to surf Doheny State Beach?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Doheny State Beach is Sunday from 3 PM to 6 PM with 4ft waves, a 15.4s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.