Orange County, California
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 11s with moderate SSE wind around 7mph.
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 11s with moderate SSE wind around 7mph.
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·4-5ft·Good
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 11s with moderate SSE wind around 7mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor with light winds out of the ENE.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3+ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and poor early on. Afternoon shapes up better with 2-3+ft and poor - fair conditions.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 14s period, rated Good. Fun day ahead — expect 3-4ft waves on S swell at 14s with gentle NW breeze.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 13s with gentle NW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to fair - good.
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 Doheny State Beach turns Good.
Check Doheny State Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 1-2ft with a 10.4s swell period. Wind is WSW at 8mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Doheny State Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 10s, a 1.7ft W wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.2ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s, a 0.9ft SSE wind swell swell at 2s. 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 12.7s swell period, and conditions rated 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. 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).
