Newport 56th Street
56th Street Jetty
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
3–4 ftwaist to chest
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 11:30 AM Pacific.
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
On the small side for a shortboard; light offshore wind is grooming the waves.
Show on chart ↓
Onshore: wind from sea to land. It can make the waves choppy.
Rising tide: the water level is going up; 1.5–4.0 ft is this spot’s best range.
Water temperature is in °F; a swimsuit is enough for warmer water, depending on how cold you feel. This is the latest water reading, not a forecast for the session.
Buoy-checked: a live ocean buoy near this spot keeps this forecast honest.
Newport 56th Street surf guide
Newport's best-known jetty break, a fast, hollow peak for experienced surfers · 2 things to watch
Newport 56th Street guide
Newport's best-known jetty break, a fast, hollow peak for experienced surfers.
- Good for
- Experienced shortboarders; easier only when small.
- The wave
- The jetty splits it: lefts peel off the north side, rights off the south, and both run fast.
- Watch for
- Shallow sand and jetty rocks.
- A packed, skilled lineup.
- Best when
- Best on a SSE to W swell (165°–280°) with NE offshore wind, at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
MoreLess about Newport 56th Street
Shortboards at 2.5–6 ft. Most consistent in spring and summer.
The jetty holds the sandbar in place. In summer the left off the north side is the main event; in winter the right on the south side improves.
Newport lifeguards can fly the blackball flag on busy days to clear hard boards from a stretch of beach.
- Local tip
- Parking near the jetties is scarce all summer. A dawn session gets you a space, fewer people and glassy surf before the onshore wind.
GOOD TIDE TODAY8:50–11:00 AM2:45–5:22 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Mondo Surf, SoCal Forecast, Deepswell, West Oceanfront Magazine, American Surf Magazine, Los Angeles Times and City of Newport Beach.
Send a spot correctionNo cam for this spot yet.
Live buoy San Pedro South
- WAVES
- 3.3 ft
- PERIOD
- 13s
- FROM
- SW 233°
- WATER
- 75°
Observed 1:30 PM · 55 min old
7-day surf
SB shortboard · LB longboard
Thu 12 PM · now
3–4 ft · waist to chest ·
7 mph onshore · tide 0.9 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 2.6 ft every 13 s from SSW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Good, longboard Fair–Good | 4 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 2.9 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 5 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 2 mph glassy | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 11 mph, gusts 13, cross-onshore | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 14, cross | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph offshore | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 2.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 5 mph offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 5 mph, gusts 8, offshore | 4.4 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph, gusts 8, cross-onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 10, cross-onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 9, cross-offshore | 3.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 22, offshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair–Good | 11 mph, gusts 22, offshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 15 mph, gusts 32, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor | 7 mph, gusts 11, onshore | 5.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 7 mph cross-offshore | 1.2 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph cross | 0.0 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 13, cross-onshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.1 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 1 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 5.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph cross-onshore | 1.7 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor, longboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, cross-onshore | 1.9 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.6 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph cross-offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph onshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor, longboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, onshore | 1.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph glassy | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph onshore | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor, longboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 0.5 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 0 mph, gusts 1, glassy | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 1 mph glassy | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph onshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Shortboard Unavailable, longboard Unavailable | 7 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Shortboard Unavailable, longboard Unavailable, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 8, cross-onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Shortboard Unavailable, longboard Unavailable, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 8:50–11:00 AM2:45–5:22 PM
Balboa Pier · feet above low water
Swell
This swell fades by Saturday.
Primary ·
W273°
Secondary ·
S185°
Primary is the main displayed swell by wave energy; another swell can affect this spot more because of its direction.
Short period means closely spaced waves; they usually have less push than a similar-size swell with longer gaps.
Secondary is another swell in the water; it can add waves from a different direction.
Period: seconds between waves; longer gaps usually mean more powerful waves, depending on size and direction.
Wave forecast checked against the live San Pedro South buoy.
Updated 2:23 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Newport 56th Street good for beginners?
Not really; it suits surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Newport 56th Street?
It’s best at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
What swell works at Newport 56th Street?
A SSE to W swell (165°–280°) is best, with NE offshore wind. It picks up swell from SSE to WNW (155°–295°). Most consistent in spring and summer.
What board should I ride at Newport 56th Street?
It’s mainly a shortboard wave, best at 2.5–6 ft.
What should I watch out for at Newport 56th Street?
Shallow sand and jetty rocks; and a packed, skilled lineup.