Orange County, California
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with 8mph from the SSE.
First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with 8mph from the SSE.
Best window·Sunday 12PM–3PM·5-6ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Newport 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, 6s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 6s with 8mph from the SSE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor. Morning kicks off with 1-2ft on W swell at 5s. Expect 9mph WSW winds by the afternoon.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSE swell at 13s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to fair.
Sun, Sep 6: 5–6ft, 14s period, rated Good. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on S swell at 14s with gentle WNW breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on S swell at 13s with light winds out of the NW. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph 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 Newport Beach turns Good.
Check Newport Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Newport Beach offers mellow, rolling beach breaks along a wide sandy coastline, making it an ideal spot for beginners and family surfers looking to practice in approachable conditions. The consistent sandbars produce forgiving waves that work well during autumn swells, though the spot can get crowded due to its proximity to the affluent Newport Beach community. With its protected bay-like setting and easy beach access, this is a go-to destination for learning fundamentals in Southern California.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Newport Beach is 1-2ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is SSE 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 Newport Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.1ft W wind swell swell at 6s, 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 Newport Beach is Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 5ft waves, a 13.7s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Newport 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 Newport 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.
Newport Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Newport Beach offers mellow, rolling beach breaks along a wide sandy coastline, making it an ideal spot for beginners and family surfers looking to practice in approachable conditions. The consistent sandbars produce forgiving waves that work well during autumn swells, though the spot can get crowded due to its proximity to the affluent Newport Beach community. With its protected bay-like setting and easy beach access, this is a go-to destination for learning fundamentals in Southern California.
The prime season at Newport 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 Newport Beach include heavy crowds, swimmers, piers nearby. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Newport 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).
