Los Angeles County, California
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s and gentle SSE breeze.
Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s and gentle SSE breeze.
Best window·Monday 9AM–12PM·2-3ft·Fair
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 12s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s with gentle SSE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 18s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 18s with 8mph from the E. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 16s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 16s with barely a breath of wind. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on S swell at 14s with light WSW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on S swell at 13s with barely a breath of wind. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 14mph 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 El Porto Beach turns Good.
Check El Porto Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 1-2ft with a 5.1s swell period. Wind is SW at 10mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at El Porto Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.5ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.5ft 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 El Porto Beach is Monday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 2ft waves, a 12.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. 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).
