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Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast
/ CAL – Humboldt (25 breaks) / California (404 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surfForecast / CAL – Humboldt / USA
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 4 pm Thursday 21 May 2026 PDTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Cape Mendocino surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Cape Mendocino sea temperature is
8.5° C
(Which is 3.6°C colder than average for this time of year)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 Sunday (May 24) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 9s. 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 4.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (May 26) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 9s period and expected on Thursday (May 28) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 24th May) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 26th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Tue 26th May) | 13ft (4.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the NNW by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thu 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Monday 25 | Tuesday 26 | Wednesday 27 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
WNW 11 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | NW 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 16 | WNW 15 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | SSW 16 | NW 13 | NW 13 | NW 13 | NW 12 | NW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 21 | WNW 18 | |
183 | 116 | 154 | 154 | 639 | 198 | 255 | 258 | 322 | 568 | 545 | 630 | 422 | 1736 | 3799 | 4808 | 4909 | 3003 | 904 | 1071 | 2117 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | |
High Tide | 5:15PM1.44m | 3:42AM1.58m | 6:08PM1.50m | 4:56AM1.41m | 6:56PM1.57m | 6:17AM1.27m | 7:39PM1.64m | 7:41AM1.19m | 8:18PM1.70m | 8:59AM1.16m | 8:52PM1.74m | 10:08AM1.18m | 9:24PM1.76m | 11:08AM1.21m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:35PM0.85m | 11:07AM-0.19m | 11:58PM0.75m | 12:04PM-0.03m | 1:13AM0.58m | 12:59PM0.14m | 2:19AM0.39m | 1:49PM0.30m | 3:13AM0.20m | 2:37PM0.45m | 4:01AM0.04m | 3:21PM0.60m | 4:42AM-0.09m | ||||||||
 |  | |  |  | | |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 |
 | 8:31 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:35 | — | — | 8:35 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:37 | — | 8:37 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 |
10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 11 | NNW 9 | SW 18 | SW 18 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | WNW 10 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | NW 13 | NW 13 | NW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | WNW 10 | WNW 21 | WNW 18 |
 kJ | 183 | 1388 | 154 | 154 | 639 | 392 | 148 | 193 | 215 | 165 | 545 | 630 | 378 | 1736 | 3799 | 4808 | 348 | 242 | 904 | 1071 | 2117 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | WNW 9 | WNW 16 | WNW 15 | NNW 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 112 | 116 | 109 | 110 | 109 | 171 | 255 | 108 | 322 | 568 | 72 | 344 | 422 | 464 | 424 | 348 | 348 | 2 | 163 | 163 | 116 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 16 | S 13 | SW 16 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | SSW 14 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | WNW 12 | — | WNW 23 | — | — |
| kJ | 55 | 54 | 51 | 51 | 49 | 198 | 52 | 258 | 103 | 96 | 140 | 25 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 213 | — | 54 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 9 | — | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | N 9 | — | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 5 | — | — | NW 12 | NW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 |
| kJ | 990 | — | 1684 | 1254 | 257 | — | 247 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 76 | — | — | 4909 | 3003 | 1475 | 1564 | 1320 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 51 | 41 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 191 | 51 | 0 | 152 | 86 | 0 | 180 | 86 | 54 | 895 | 438 | 75 | 316 | 437 | 68 | 437 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Humboldt County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Cape Mendocino surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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