SURFISCOOL

Conditions for Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach surf forecast

The National Weather Service’s surf zone forecast for Orange County beaches, the latest reading from the nearest offshore buoy, and an hour-by-hour forecast for Huntington Beach in AYON Wave.

View the Huntington Beach forecast Download AYON Wave

What each source is

National Weather Service — a forecast written by NWS San Diego forecasters for all Orange County beaches, issued about twice a day.

Buoy 46253 — a measurement of the open ocean about 19 km west-southwest of the pier. It is what the sea is doing out there, not the surf at the sand.

AYON Wave — a model forecast for Huntington Beach, hour by hour. A model is an estimate, not an observation.

Forecast · National Weather Service

Surf zone forecast for Orange County beaches

National Weather Service San Diego · zone CAZ552, Orange County Coastal Areas · issued · valid until

  • Coastal flood warning through 1 PM today
  • Coastal flood advisory from 1 PM today through 2 PM Friday

Today

Surf height
1 to 3 feet
Rip current risk
Low
Water temperature (°F)
70 to 75 degrees
Swell
Swell from 200 degrees.

Friday

Surf height
1 to 3 feet. Sets to 4 feet
Rip current risk
Low
Swell
Swell from 200 degrees.
How NWS defines rip current risk
  • Low Risk - Life threatening rip currents are unlikely but still could occur.
  • Moderate Risk - Life threatening rip currents are possible.
  • High Risk - Life threatening rip currents are likely.

Observation · offshore buoy

2.0 ft significant wave height15 s dominant periodSSW (192°) direction waves come from74 °F water

Measured by buoy 46253 (San Pedro South, CDIP 213), about 19 km west-southwest of the Huntington Beach Pier in open water. Waves breaking at the beach are a different, local thing.

Sources: NWS San Diego Surf Zone Forecast · NOAA NDBC station 46253 · CDIP buoy 213 (Scripps). Snapshot generated and refreshed about every 30 minutes. All times Pacific.

Reading it before a lesson

Three things to check

  • Rip current risk. NWS rates it low, moderate or high for the whole county every forecast. On a high-risk day, lifeguards and instructors are dealing with stronger currents everywhere.
  • Surf height and swell direction. The same swell can break very differently a mile apart. The beach guides below explain how each spot responds.
  • When it was issued. A forecast is only as current as its issue time. This page shows it, and says so when a forecast has passed its valid time.

Surfiscool reviews the real conditions before every lesson and makes the final call on the beach. A forecast helps plan; it never promises a session.

Beach by beach

How the coast responds

Our guides cover the Huntington Beach Pier, the Santa Ana River Jetties and Bolsa Chica State Beach, with every beach from the river to Seal Beach on the surf spot map.

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