Doheny State Beach, CA

MapBeginner-friendlyLive · -

7h 15m of daylight left

Sunset at 2:59 AM

Today is the peak

Don't wait — score 9.0 during the 9 AM–10 AM window. Tomorrow doesn't beat it.

GOWorth it

7.5/ 10 · Good

Best time to ride

1 AM–2 AM

Next 12 hours

Rideable and likely fun.

Clean swell
Tide window opening

Conditions

Wave

1.9 ft→

Sweet spot 1.5–5 ft

Period

16s→

Sweet spot 9–14 s

Wind

9 mph SW→

Onshore

Tide

Next · Low 05:39 AM

Session plan

Worth it

Rideable and likely fun.

Doheny State Beach, CA · Beginner-friendly

Peak window

1 AM–2 AM

Avg score 8.9/10

Why this score

Tide will shift conditions soon.

Wave height1.9 ft

Swell period16s

WindOnshore 9 mph

Current: 1.9 ft @ 16s • 9 mph wind. wave height is in a sweet spot for this spot period has some energy but isn't classic groundswell light wind is keeping things clean wind direction is fighting the banks and shape

Next 12 hours

Peak window 1 AM–2 AM

Today's read·Auto-generated from the forecast

Workable waist-high sets on a 16-second period. Best chance is the 1 AM–2 AM window before the low tide at 5:39 AM.

8 PM

7.51.9ft

9 PM

7.51.9ft

10 PM

8.52.0ft

11 PM

8.52.0ft

12 AM

8.52.0ft

1 AM

8.52.0ft

2 AM

9.42.0ft

3 AM

9.42.0ft

4 AM

9.42.1ft

5 AM

9.42.1ft

6 AM

9.42.1ft

7 AM

10.02.1ft

Sunrise 12:53 PM Sunset 2:59 AM

Next 5 days

Best window

Best this week

9.0/10

Saturday, Jul 18 • 9 AM–10 AM

Wave 1.9 ft

Period 15s

Wind max 9 mph

Temp 69–77°F

Saturday, Jul 18

9.0 / 10

Best: 9 AM–10 AM

Wave: 1.9 ft

Period: 15s

Wind max: 9 mph

Sunday, Jul 19

9.0 / 10

Best: 1 PM–2 PM

Wave: 2.6 ft

Period: 12s

Wind max: 9 mph

Monday, Jul 20

8.5 / 10

Best: 9 AM–10 AM

Wave: 3.7 ft

Period: 11s

Wind max: 11 mph

Tuesday, Jul 21

8.5 / 10

Best: 4 PM–5 PM

Wave: 3.2 ft

Period: 12s

Wind max: 10 mph

Wednesday, Jul 22

8.7 / 10

Best: 9 AM–10 AM

Wave: 3.0 ft

Period: 15s

Wind max: 13 mph

Day	Best window	Score	Wave	Period	Wind max	Temp
Saturday, Jul 18	9 AM–10 AM	9.0	1.9 ft	15s	9 mph	69–77°F
Sunday, Jul 19	1 PM–2 PM	9.0	2.6 ft	12s	9 mph	68–77°F
Monday, Jul 20	9 AM–10 AM	8.5	3.7 ft	11s	11 mph	67–88°F
Tuesday, Jul 21	4 PM–5 PM	8.5	3.2 ft	12s	10 mph	71–88°F
Wednesday, Jul 22	9 AM–10 AM	8.7	3.0 ft	15s	13 mph	72–91°F

Spot intelWetsuit, hazards & notes

Good for beginners today

Beginner basics

Where to go

Doheny is the classic California learner spot — gentle peaks inside the harbour, sand bottom, lifeguards, and surf schools everywhere. Pick any open patch between schools and you're in business.

What to avoid

Don't try to claim a peak that a school is using — wait your turn. The lineup gets thick on weekends, so weekday mornings are far calmer. Watch for kayakers and paddleboarders sharing the zone.

Best beginner conditions

Knee-to-waist S or SW swell, light E wind, mid to high tide. Year-round playground; summer south swells deliver the most consistent friendly conditions.

New to surfing? Read the beginner guide →

Wetsuit

Summer setup

Season-based baseline. Water temp varies week to week.

Full guide

Boardshorts / Bikini

Or 2mm top on windy mornings

2mm Springsuit / Shorty

If you get cold easily

Spot notes

How this break works