Orange County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Doheny State Beach, Orange County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on SSW swell at 13s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 3-4ft and poor - fair with 11mph SSE winds.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on W swell at 8s with 8mph from the SE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on WSW swell at 7s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on S swell at 13s with barely a breath of wind. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 8mph and poor - fair by then.
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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.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Doheny State Beach is 3-4ft with a 15.3s swell period. Wind is SSE at 2mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Doheny State Beach is 3-4ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 13s, a 1.2ft W secondary swell at 10s, a 1ft S 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 Doheny State Beach is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 12.75s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Doheny State Beach works best with a S 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 Doheny State Beach. 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.
Doheny State Beach is a beach with a cobblestone bottom, suited to beginner surfers. 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.
The prime season at Doheny State Beach 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 Doheny State Beach include cobblestone bottom, water quality after rain, crowds, rocks in sections. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
