Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Cape Mendocino. It’s been a bit of a rough stretch here, and honestly, for the next few days, I’d keep the board in the car. The first real window of opportunity doesn’t show up until Saturday the 12th.

Most of this week is plagued by a persistent cross-shore wind, which is just ruining any chance of the small, weak swell linking up. The water’s sitting at 55°F, which is a fair bit colder than usual for this time of year – a solid 3°F colder, so you’ll want the thickest wetsuit you’ve got.

The first sign of life comes on Saturday morning, September 12th. The wind drops right out, turning glassy. We’ve got a 3ft south-west swell running with a 14-second period, which packs a moderate energy punch (692). That glassy condition is the key here – it’s going to be clean. The swell is lining up from the south-west, which is spot on for the exposed setup here. This is the standout of the entire outlook. It’s not massive, but it’ll be the best you’ll see. Saturday afternoon stays clean with a light offshore, but the energy bumps up a notch (753).

After that, the weekend goes downhill again. Sunday the 13th sees a turn to a weaker, short-period north-west swell (9 seconds) and the cross-shore wind comes back with a vengeance. Monday and Tuesday are write-offs with tiny swell and even stronger winds.

The next glimmer is way out there, on Wednesday the 23rd of September. Swell size picks up to 6ft, with a longer 12-second period out of the north-west, and the wave energy is strong (1199). This is a bigger, more powerful swell, but it’s still cross-shore, so it’s going to be a messy, lumpy affair. It’s a promising pulse of energy, but the wind is a major caveat.

So, to wrap it up: your best bet is Saturday morning, September 12th. Get out there early for the glassy conditions and that clean south-west swell. The rest of the window is a waiting game.

Rusty

Read more