Los Angeles County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at El Porto Beach, Los Angeles 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: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on W swell at 7s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 8s with gentle E breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with 8mph from the SSE. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 15s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with barely a breath of wind. Afternoon breeze fills in to 15mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 22s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with barely a breath of wind. Expect the wind to bump up to around 13mph by PM.
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El Porto Beach is a accessible sandy beach break located in Manhattan Beach that offers mellow, rolling waves ideal for learning and progression. The spot works best during autumn swells when Southern Hemisphere storms send consistent energy across the Pacific, and offshore northwest winds groom the faces in the mornings. As one of the most populated and developed beach breaks in LA County, expect significant crowds and a social atmosphere, especially on weekends.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at El Porto Beach is 2-3ft with a 13.45s swell period. Wind is WNW 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 El Porto Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.2ft W primary swell at 10s, a 1ft SSW secondary swell at 14s, a 0.4ft 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 El Porto Beach is Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 13.7s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
El Porto Beach works best with a SW swell and E 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 El Porto 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.
El Porto Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. El Porto Beach is a accessible sandy beach break located in Manhattan Beach that offers mellow, rolling waves ideal for learning and progression. The spot works best during autumn swells when Southern Hemisphere storms send consistent energy across the Pacific, and offshore northwest winds groom the faces in the mornings. As one of the most populated and developed beach breaks in LA County, expect significant crowds and a social atmosphere, especially on weekends.
The prime season at El Porto 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 El Porto Beach include heavy crowds, swimmers, pier pilings to the north, localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our El Porto 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.
