Orange County, California
Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light S winds.
Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with light S winds.
Best window·Sunday 12PM–3PM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at HB Cliffs, 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, 6s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with gentle S breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s with light SSW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 15s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SSE swell at 13s with barely a breath of wind. The SW wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Good. Aim for the middle of the day — 4-5ft on S swell at 14s with light NW winds. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on S swell at 13s and light WNW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the WSW and dropping conditions to very poor.
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 HB Cliffs turns Good.
Check HB Cliffs from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
HB Cliffs is a sandy beach break located along Huntington Beach's iconic coastal bluffs, offering accessible waves that peel along the shoreline. The spot benefits from the natural geography of the Orange County coastline, which funnels Southern Hemisphere and Southern California swell effectively. With its sandy bottom and forgiving nature, this break is perfect for building fundamentals while enjoying one of Southern California's most scenic coastal viewpoints.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at HB Cliffs is 1-2ft with a 5.4s swell period. Wind is S at 6mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at HB Cliffs is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.1ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.4ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, a 1.1ft S tertiary swell at 13s. 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 HB Cliffs is Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 4ft waves, a 13.7s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
HB Cliffs works best with a SSW 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 HB Cliffs. 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.
HB Cliffs is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. HB Cliffs is a sandy beach break located along Huntington Beach's iconic coastal bluffs, offering accessible waves that peel along the shoreline. The spot benefits from the natural geography of the Orange County coastline, which funnels Southern Hemisphere and Southern California swell effectively. With its sandy bottom and forgiving nature, this break is perfect for building fundamentals while enjoying one of Southern California's most scenic coastal viewpoints.
The prime season at HB Cliffs 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 HB Cliffs include cliffs, occasional rip currents, crowded during summer. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our HB Cliffs 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).
