Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, NW swell with 619 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 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.2m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming down the line for this stretch of coast.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a dud. We're looking at a run of days from Sunday the 16th all the way through to Saturday the 22nd with just nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly a messy cross-shore, and everything is labelled as poor or marginal. It's a flat spell, plain and simple. Don't bother checking the buoys, just use the time to fix your dings and sort your wax.
Now, things start to get a bit more interesting heading into the following week. The standout window, and pretty much the only real chance for a wave, lands on Sunday the 23rd. Cape Mendocino picks up a 7 ft swell from the NW, but here's the kicker – that period is only 8 seconds. That's short-period wind swell, so it'll be a bit of a messy, bumpy affair on the surface. The combined energy is in the moderate range, hitting 900, so there's plenty of water moving around. The water itself is much colder than usual for this time of year, sitting at just 54°F, which is a solid 4°F colder than average.
Because the swell is over 5 ft, this isn't really a beginner's day. And while it's not over 8 ft, the short period and cross-onshore winds from the WNW will chop it up. For a cape like this, a 7 ft NW wind swell with a cross-onshore breeze... honestly, this set-up looks more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle guys. It's going to be bumpy and hard to get a clean line. The wind shifts to a cross-shore from the South in the afternoon, but the quality is still just marginal.
Monday the 24th sees the swell dropping off to 6 ft and then 5 ft, still from the NW with that same short 8-second period. The wind stays cross-onshore, so it's more of the same – choppy and average. You'd be fighting it more than enjoying it.
After that little pulse, we sink back into a prolonged period of small, weak, and wind-affected surf from Tuesday the 25th right through to Monday the 31st. The swell drops to under 3 ft, often below 3 ft, and the wind is a persistent cross-shore around 16 mph. It's just not worth the effort. The second week is a write-off for anything decent.
So, to sum it up: the first eight days are a total bust. Your one and only chance to get wet is Sunday the 23rd, but don't expect perfection. It's a short-period, wind-affected NW swell better suited to kites than paddles. The rest of the forecast is a sad story of flatness and cross-shore chop.
Stay patient, and check back closer to the time. Things can always change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | S 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
519 | 512 | 334 | 330 | 334 | 334 | 178 | 249 | 291 | 273 | 305 | 314 | 233 | 226 | 236 | 156 | 111 | 99 | 99 | 112 | 106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 2:43PM1.75m | 2:58AM1.41m | 3:18PM1.74m | 4:06AM1.25m | 3:55PM1.71m | 5:35AM1.14m | 4:39PM1.68m | 7:24AM1.13m | 5:31PM1.65m | 8:53AM1.20m | 6:30PM1.65m | 9:48AM1.27m | 7:30PM1.67m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:26AM0.26m | 9:14PM0.38m | 9:04AM0.47m | 10:12PM0.35m | 9:47AM0.67m | 11:15PM0.32m | 10:37AM0.85m | 00:23AM0.29m | 11:45AM0.99m | 1:32AM0.24m | 1:04PM1.05m | 2:33AM0.18m | 2:14PM1.05m | 3:24AM0.11m | |||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:05 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NNW 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | S 14 |
519 | 512 | 334 | 330 | 334 | 334 | 178 | 249 | 291 | 169 | 186 | 242 | 225 | 206 | 134 | 115 | 86 | 88 | 55 | 52 | 106 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SSW 17 | WNW 15 | WNW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | WNW 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 |
31 | 29 | 27 | 39 | 25 | 20 | 100 | 84 | 137 | 273 | 305 | 314 | 233 | 226 | 164 | 156 | 101 | 78 | 99 | 67 | 95 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | WNW 16 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SW 20 | SW 21 | S 9 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 12 |
27 | 27 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 48 | 2 | 98 | 16 | 18 | 2 | 54 | 58 | 236 | 55 | 111 | 99 | 50 | 112 | 11 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | — | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | — | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 |
79 | 90 | 134 | 175 | 211 | 198 | 251 | 262 | 353 | 493 | 447 | 249 | 224 | 178 | — | 104 | 113 | — | 117 | 161 | 311 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 151 | 51 | 40 | 128 | 54 | 40 | 151 | 54 | 40 | 151 | 437 | 40 | 211 | 151 | 51 | 151 | 211 | 40 | 149 | 100 | 40 |
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.











