Cape Mendocino Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.42° N 124.40° W

Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cape Mendocino sea temperature is
10.7° C
3.3° 

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 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, NW swell with 479 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with SW 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m 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 1.9m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) 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 3.0m 9s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5PM (Tue 4th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 15s
Best Surf 5PM (Tue 4th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 15s
Most Powerful 5AM (Wed 5th Aug)6ft (1.9m) 8s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – looking at this 16-day window for Cape Mendocino, it's a grim stretch. We’re talking about a solid run of days where you’d be better off cleaning the wax off your board than paddling out. The first real chance of anything rideable doesn't show up until mid-month, and even then, it’s a bit of a gamble.

The water is the first thing you’ll notice. At Cape Mendocino, it's sitting at a frigid 51°F, which is a whopping 6° colder than usual for this time of year. That’s seriously unusual, so you’ll want a thick hood and boots.

The first half of August is a write-off. From the 4th through the 12th, we’ve got a persistent run of "poor surf conditions." Winds are a constant cross-shore mess, mostly from the north, and the swell is tiny – peaks around 2 ft. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting in the low to mid hundreds. There’s a brief moment on the afternoon of Tuesday the 4th where it goes glassy with a 1 ft SW groundswell (15-second period), but the energy is so low it’s barely a ripple. Not worth the drive.

Then, we hit a gap of several days with nothing to recommend. The next blip is on Thursday the 13th. Now, this one is interesting but tricky. The morning shows a solid 8 ft swell from the NW with a short period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is substantial, so there’s plenty of power, but that short period means it’ll be a bit of a close-out mess. The wind is a moderate cross-shore from the north, so it won't be clean. This is expert territory only – over 8 ft. For anyone else, it’s a washing machine.

The next hint of something better comes on Sunday the 16th. The morning shows a 6 ft NW swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is strong. Winds are a moderate cross-shore from the north. It’s still marginal, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. This is a true standout, but only as a "maybe" for the more experienced crew looking for a punchy, short-period wave at a spot that can handle it.

Honestly, if you’re a kitesurfer, this whole window might look more interesting than it does for us paddlers, with all that north wind and chop. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, you’re not missing much.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds.

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
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
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
1.7
NW
8
1.6
NW
8
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
13
0.5
SW
13
0.4
SW
18
0.4
SW
18
0.4
SSW
18
0.5
SW
16
0.6
SSW
17
0.6
SSW
18
0.5
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.4
SW
20
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
86
79
76
400
322
95
87
85
83
80
130
133
235
240
146
198
196
167
165
163
97
Wind (km/h)
10
NNW
5
WNW
5
N
15
S
10
SSW
5
NNE
10
WNW
15
NNW
20
N
20
NNW
25
N
20
NNW
25
N
25
N
30
N
30
NNW
30
N
30
N
35
NNW
30
N
30
N
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
3:58PM1.75m
4:51AM1.14m
4:41PM1.81m
6:35AM1.09m
5:33PM1.86m
8:19AM1.14m
6:32PM1.91m
9:34AM1.24m
7:36PM1.98m
10:27AM1.35m
8:39PM2.04m
11:10AM1.45m
9:39PM2.09m
Low Tide
9:34AM0.46m
10:58PM0.37m
10:18AM0.65m
00:08AM0.24m
11:14AM0.82m
1:20AM0.09m
12:27PM0.95m
2:27AM-0.06m
1:45PM1.00m
3:27AM-0.20m
2:55PM0.97m
4:20AM-0.29m
3:57PM0.89m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:16
6:18
6:18
6:20
6:20
6:22
6:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:29
8:28
8:25
8:24
8:23
8:22
8:22
 mm
Temp °C
17
17
15
16
17
14
15
16
14
16
18
15
17
18
15
16
17
14
16
16
14
Feels °C
16
17
15
14
15
14
14
15
11
12
14
12
13
13
11
10
11
10
11
11
10
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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