Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s lined up for Cape Mendocino. I’ll be straight with you – this forecast is a tough one. The water is sitting at a chilly 51°, which is a whopping 5° colder than normal for this time of year. That’s properly unusual, so you’ll want a thick hood and gloves.

The first few days are a write-off. Through Wednesday and Thursday, we’re looking at a cross-shore wind that’s just ruining things. The swell is there, but the quality is poor. Don’t bother paddling out on the 8th or 9th.

Friday the 10th through to Tuesday the 15th is a long gap of nothing. The wind stays onshore or cross-shore, and the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” It’s just not happening. The swell energy is weak, usually in the 300 to 500 range, and it’s a messy mix.

Things *might* get a little interesting around Wednesday the 16th, but even then, the wind is still a fresh cross-shore, and the wave comment is still poor. There’s a long-period groundswell from the WNW with a period of 20 seconds on the morning of the 16th, but that’s a very long period for a beach break like this, so it’ll likely be too straight and hard to handle. The combined energy hits 645, so there’s some power, but it’s not clean.

The only real glimmer in this entire 16-day window is Thursday the 23rd. The morning shows a solid 5 ft swell from the NW, with a moderate cross-shore, and the energy is well into the moderate range at 1021. The wave comment is still only “marginal,” but it’s the best we’ve got. The afternoon bumps up to 6 ft from the NW, but the period drops to 10 seconds, and it’s still a cross-shore mess. For a spot that’s fairly consistent, this is a disappointing run. It’s a blank spell that’s normal for this area when the wind gods aren’t playing ball.

Keep the board on the roof, but don’t hold your breath. The forecast can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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