Cape Mendocino Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.42° N 124.40° W

Issued: 4 am 02 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cape Mendocino sea temperature is
9.9° C

3.4°C colder than average for this time of year

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 2 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, NW swell with 824 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cape Mendocino this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Cape Mendocino in the next 16 days are 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 02) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful11AM (Thu 9th Jul)8ft (2.5m) 8s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s kick the tires on what’s coming up at Cape Mendocino over the next couple of weeks. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this forecast is a mixed bag with a whole lot of “meh” on offer.

We’re heading into a tough opening stretch. That Saturday, July 4th, brings a lumpy 2.1m swell from the NW, but with the period a short 8 seconds and fresh cross-shore winds out of the NNW at 19 mph, it’s a chop-fest. The water’s at 50°, a massive 6° colder than what’s normal. You’ll need your thickest wetsuit if you’re thinking about it.

Things don’t really come together until the second week. The best window by a long shot is around Friday, July 17th. We’re looking at a cleaner 3ft WNW groundswell with a proper 16-second period and good energy. The wind will still be cross-shore from the NNW at 16 mph, but it’s workable. That long period means those waves will have some grunt and shape, which is what you want at a spot like this. For the experienced crew, that Friday morning is the real standout target.

The days before that, from the 9th to the 11th, show some bigger swells over 8ft, but the wind is always cross-shore and the period stays short. That’s pushing into expert-only territory, and it won’t be pretty.

The rest of the fortnight is mostly small and limp, with tiny SSW and W swells and light but cross-onshore breezes. The 12th and 13th have almost no wind, which is nice, but the swell drops to around 2ft to 2ft. It’s mushy and hard to get excited about.

So here’s the bottom line: if you’ve got a session in you, make it for the morning of Friday, July 17th. That’s the one diamond in this rough. Everything else is either too big and sloppy, or too small and weak.

Keep your rubber good.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
2
Friday
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
0
3
2
0
0
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
SW
16
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
S
18
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
16
2.1
NW
8
0.6
SSW
14
1.6
NW
8
2.2
NW
8
2.1
NW
8
1.5
NW
8
1.8
NW
8
1.8
NW
12
1.6
NW
11
0.8
SSW
20
0.9
SSW
19
1
SSW
18
0.9
SSW
18
1
SSW
17
1
SSW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
206
156
227
142
140
288
490
149
322
634
557
299
369
812
553
485
643
651
491
608
539
Wind (km/h)
30
NNW
25
N
20
N
25
NNW
25
N
20
N
30
NNW
30
N
25
N
25
NNW
25
NNW
25
N
25
NNW
25
N
25
N
25
N
25
N
20
NNE
25
N
30
N
30
N
Wind State
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
2:48PM1.38m
1:05AM1.68m
3:18PM1.42m
1:47AM1.58m
3:49PM1.47m
2:35AM1.44m
4:21PM1.54m
3:33AM1.30m
4:54PM1.62m
4:47AM1.15m
5:32PM1.70m
6:21AM1.05m
6:14PM1.80m
Low Tide
7:45PM0.96m
8:24AM-0.15m
8:32PM0.92m
8:59AM-0.06m
9:27PM0.85m
9:35AM0.06m
10:28PM0.74m
10:14AM0.21m
11:35PM0.58m
10:58AM0.39m
00:42AM0.38m
11:48AM0.58m
1:46AM0.16m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:50
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:54
5:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:51
8:51
8:51
8:51
8:50
8:50
8:50
 mm
Temp °C
14
15
13
15
16
13
15
15
13
14
14
13
14
14
12
14
15
13
15
16
12
Feels °C
9
10
9
11
12
9
10
10
8
10
10
9
9
9
8
9
10
9
11
12
7
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
16
0.5
SW
13
0.6
SSW
14
1.6
NW
8
0.6
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
18
1.5
NW
8
0.9
WNW
12
0.8
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
20
0.8
SSW
20
0.9
SSW
19
1
SSW
18
1.3
NW
10
1.3
WNW
9
1.1
NW
8
Energy kJ
206
156
176
142
140
288
88
138
322
136
399
299
218
330
336
485
643
651
303
282
153
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SSW
19
0.3
SSW
19
0.6
S
18
0.4
SSW
17
0.3
S
16
0.4
WNW
14
0.4
WNW
13
0.4
WNW
13
0.7
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
18
0.5
WNW
13
0.8
WNW
12
0.7
SSW
17
0.5
SSW
21
0.7
SW
16
0.7
SW
16
0.9
WNW
10
1
NW
10
0.9
SSW
18
1
SSW
17
1
SSW
16
Energy kJ
125
69
227
100
46
73
69
66
186
221
99
184
258
260
261
258
192
181
491
608
539
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
WNW
17
0.2
WNW
16
0.2
WNW
15
0.3
WNW
15
0.3
WNW
15
0.2
SSW
21
0.4
SSW
15
0.4
SSW
20
0.5
WNW
12
0.5
WNW
13
0.4
WNW
11
0.6
SSW
18
0.5
SSW
21
0.2
S
9
0.3
SSW
12
0.2
S
12
0.4
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
15
0.6
SW
15
0.3
S
20
0.4
S
19
Energy kJ
28
25
22
43
42
44
78
149
85
99
47
207
260
6
28
11
70
191
171
68
118
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
NNW
8
2.1
NNW
8
1.9
NNW
8
1.8
NW
7
1.7
NNW
7
1.7
NNW
8
2.1
NW
8
2.2
NW
8
1.5
N
8
2.2
NW
8
2.1
NW
8
1.3
N
8
1.8
NW
8
1.8
NW
12
1.6
NW
11
1.3
NW
11
0.8
N
4
1.3
NW
10
1.6
NW
10
0.7
N
4
1.4
NW
7
Energy kJ
848
564
419
321
251
337
490
544
302
634
557
223
369
812
553
399
22
303
446
14
178
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
3
2
2
3
1
3
4
2
1
3
1
2
4
3
2
3
2
2
3
Distance (km)
219
780
40
289
54
40
149
54
40
146
437
45
151
437
52
262
437
40
151
436
59
Best forecast wave conditions in Humboldt County
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
3
3
4
3
4
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
3
3
2
3
2
3
4
3
2
3
3
2
4
3
2
4
3
2
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
9
5
9
5
7
5
5
9
7
7
6
9
8
6
6
7
9
7
7
9
  • 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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