
Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 4 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 7 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, NW swell with 663 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 1.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 07) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.4m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 09) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Tue 7th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Oi, this is Rusty. Lookin’ at the Cape Mendocino forecast for the next 16 days, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The whole run is plagued by persistent cross-shore to cross-onshore winds, often blowing fresh at 12-19 mph, which is gonna chop things up and keep the quality low. The water is unusually cold, sitting at 50°F with a negative temperature anomaly of -4°F, so much colder than you’d expect for July.
There are literally no good surf options here in the 16-day window. The finder shows a big fat zero for scores for the first couple of days with “poor surf conditions” as the wave comment, and when conditions are described as “marginal”, it’s only a 1 out of 10. It’s not until July 15th and 16th that we see a few hints of something better, but even then, the wave comments are “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions” with no score above 1.
Starting off today, Friday July 3rd, you’ve got clear skies but a cross-shore wind from the N at 16 mph. Swell is 5 ft from the NW with a short period of 7 seconds, and a combined energy of 455 (moderate). The water is a chilly 50°F. “Poor surf conditions” sums it up.
Saturday July 4th is similar, with a morning swell of 6 ft from the NW (same short 7 second period, energy 607) but cross winds from the NNW at 16 mph. The afternoon drops to a tiny 1 ft from the SSW with a very long 20 second period (energy 353) – that’s more of a lake than surf. Still “poor”.
Sunday July 5th brings a morning swell of 5 ft from the NW, 8 second period, energy 668, but it’s cross-onshore from the NNW at 12 mph. Choppy and poor. The afternoon has some long-period 3 ft SSW energy (529, 18 sec period) but quality is “marginal” at best.
We go through a long run of days from July 6th to July 15th. Monday July 6th morning has 7 ft from the NW (8 sec, energy 1236 – strong) but cross-onshore winds and “marginal” conditions. Tuesday July 7th through Thursday July 16th sees mostly weak swell from the SSW or WNW, under 4 ft, with long periods (14-21 seconds) but relentless cross- or cross-onshore winds at 16-19 mph. The combined swell energy vacillates between 248 and 1194, but nothing is clean. The period on the 15th hits 21 seconds for a 2-3 ft WNW swell, which is promising in theory for a point break, but this is a beach setup so those super long-period waves will likely break straight and be hard to manage.
Thursday July 16th offers the best chance in the whole outlook. Morning sees 3 ft from the WNW at 19 seconds, with energy of 1137 (strong). Afternoon bumps to 4 ft from the WNW at 17 seconds, energy 1056. Still, the wind is cross from the NNW or N at 16-19 mph, and the wave comment is only “marginal.” The cross-shore wind with a lumpy cross-chop on the afternoon will ruin any chance of a clean face.
Friday July 17th has a similar 4-4 ft WNW swell (16 sec period, energy around 918-936) but cross-onshore and cross winds, so no dice. Saturday July 18th closes out with 3 ft WNW at 16 sec and a fresh cross-shore wind. Nothing to write home about.
Bottom line: with no offshore winds and persistent cross and cross-onshore breezes, Cape Mendocino is a no-go for surf through this entire 16-day period. The winds and chop are so consistent that this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Keep the board in the car, and wait for a better run. Forecasts can change, but right now, it's a blank stretch.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fri 3 | Saturday 4 | Sunday 5 | Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | SSW 16 | NW 7 | SSW 14 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | NW 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
227 | 288 | 372 | 149 | 235 | 311 | 399 | 207 | 557 | 330 | 336 | 485 | 643 | 651 | 491 | 608 | 539 | 545 | 441 | 377 | 377 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 8:06AM1.05m | 7:02PM1.89m | 9:33AM1.14m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 12:47PM0.74m | 2:45AM-0.05m | 1:51PM0.86m | |||||||
— | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | |
8:51 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:49 | — | 8:49 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SSW 18 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 20 | WNW 11 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
140 | 288 | 88 | 138 | 235 | 311 | 399 | 184 | 161 | 330 | 336 | 200 | 643 | 651 | 491 | 608 | 539 | 545 | 441 | 377 | 377 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | WNW 12 | SW 16 | SSW 20 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | NW 10 | NW 9 | S 19 | — | S 18 | — | — |
46 | 73 | 69 | 66 | 186 | 136 | 99 | 207 | 258 | 171 | 261 | 485 | 69 | 191 | 96 | 86 | 118 | — | 160 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 15 | SSW 21 | SSW 15 | SSW 20 | WNW 12 | SSW 18 | NW 11 | S 13 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | S 8 | S 21 | SW 15 | S 20 | S 19 | — | — | — | — |
42 | 45 | 78 | 149 | 99 | 221 | 31 | 87 | 260 | 260 | 28 | 258 | 5 | 35 | 171 | 68 | 118 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 7 | NW 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
227 | 268 | 372 | 416 | 264 | 280 | 602 | 601 | 557 | 473 | 320 | 175 | 477 | 327 | 62 | 37 | 216 | 585 | 616 | 650 | 634 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 80 | 45 | 149 | 51 | 40 | 152 | 151 | 41 | 294 | 437 | 40 | 151 | 437 | 54 | 316 | 436 | 54 | 334 | 436 | 40 | 151 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Humboldt County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











