Cape Mendocino Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.42° N 124.40° W

Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 16 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cape Mendocino sea temperature is
10.5° C
2.9° 

Cape Mendocino surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 15s period, S swell with 644 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 15s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cape Mendocino this week:

The surf forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cape Mendocino in the next 16 days are 1.2m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5PM (Mon 20th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 15s
Best Surf 2AM (Tue 21st Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 13s
Most Powerful 2PM (Mon 20th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for Cape Mendocino over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the water is running much colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 51°F with a big -5°F anomaly. That's a full wetsuit and booties kind of deal, no question.

The honest truth is we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days are looking pretty grim with poor conditions and choppy, cross-shore winds. Don't bother paddling out on Thursday the 16th or Friday the 17th—it’s not worth it. The energy is there, but the wind is just ruining it.

We finally get a window of hope on Monday the 20th. The afternoon session is the standout of the entire forecast. The wind drops right off to glassy conditions, and we’ve got a clean 4 ft swell rolling in from the south with a long 15-second period. That's a proper groundswell. The combined energy is solid (874), and with that glassy surface, Cape Mendocino is going to be looking clean and lined up. This is your best bet for a genuine surf, and it’s a fairly consistent spot, so it won't be a total lottery.

After that, the middle of the week dips back into marginal territory with onshore breezes and smaller, weaker swells. The wind stays cross or cross-on for a while, and the wave quality just isn't there.

Now, looking into the second week, things get interesting again but with a big caveat. From Friday the 24th onwards, we see a massive spike in the combined energy, with readings hitting 1472 and even 1720. That’s some serious juice in the water. The swell size hovers around 4 ft to 4 ft, but the period is very long, between 18 and 24 seconds. This is a very long-period groundswell from the SW. At Cape Mendocino, a point break, this kind of long-period energy is ideal—it’ll wrap in and produce some powerful, well-shaped waves. The downside is the wind is a moderate cross-shore, which will put a bit of a texture on the face. It’s not the clean glass of the 20th, but for raw power, it’s promising. This is one for the experienced crew; the sets will be well-spaced and strong.

Beyond that, the last few days of the month look like a write-off with strong, fresh cross-shore winds and poor surf quality. The run of poor conditions at the end is a bit of a bummer, but it’s not unusual for this area when the winds pipe up.

So, to sum it up: Keep your eyes on Monday afternoon, the 20th, for the cleanest, most user-friendly waves. And for the big-wave hunters, the long-period groundswell from Friday the 24th through the 27th offers some serious power, even if it’s a bit wind-affected. The setup is more interesting for paddle surfing than kite surfing given the swell direction, but the wind could make it fun for the kite crew on some of the windier days.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
2
1
2
1
3
4
2
1
3
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
WNW
19
0.6
WNW
19
0.9
WNW
18
0.9
WNW
17
1
WNW
16
0.9
WNW
16
0.9
WNW
16
1.9
NW
8
0.9
WNW
16
2.1
NW
8
0.9
SW
17
0.9
SW
17
1.1
S
15
1.2
S
15
0.9
SW
16
1
S
12
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
0.7
SSW
13
0.8
SSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
286
280
438
433
518
463
452
382
348
571
434
419
581
619
423
290
275
272
275
158
243
Wind (km/h)
25
N
30
N
20
N
25
NNW
25
N
15
N
20
NNW
25
NNW
20
N
20
NNW
20
NNW
15
N
15
NNW
5
NW
5
NE
10
SSW
15
SSW
5
SSW
10
WNW
15
NNW
15
NNE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross
cross
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
2:22PM1.61m
1:16AM1.89m
3:01PM1.66m
2:11AM1.69m
3:40PM1.69m
3:10AM1.48m
4:20PM1.72m
4:18AM1.27m
5:00PM1.73m
5:43AM1.12m
5:42PM1.73m
7:28AM1.07m
6:27PM1.73m
Low Tide
7:46PM0.71m
8:23AM-0.23m
8:45PM0.65m
9:05AM-0.04m
9:49PM0.58m
9:47AM0.18m
10:56PM0.49m
10:31AM0.41m
00:05AM0.40m
11:20AM0.62m
1:13AM0.29m
12:16PM0.80m
2:16AM0.19m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:00
6:01
6:01
6:03
6:03
6:03
6:05
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:45
8:45
8:44
8:44
8:43
8:42
8:42
 mm
Temp °C
15
15
13
14
15
14
15
16
14
15
15
14
16
16
16
20
20
17
17
17
16
Feels °C
11
10
8
10
11
10
12
12
10
12
12
11
14
15
16
19
17
16
17
16
15
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Cape Mendocino Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Cape Mendocino provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cape Mendocino can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cape Mendocino surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Cape Mendocino) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Cape Mendocino may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Cape Mendocino is 47 km (29 miles) from Eureka. If you plan a vacation in Humboldt County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Eureka. Eureka has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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