Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SSW swell with 877 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s 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 1.2m 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the Cape Mendocino stretch. We’re looking at a bit of a slow start, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board just yet.
Right now, the water temp is sitting at about 57°, which is just a touch cooler than the long-term average for this time of year. Nothing crazy, but pack a good hooded wetsuit if you’re heading out.
The first solid sniff of anything worthwhile isn’t until Saturday, September 5th. Up until then, we’ve got a solid week of messy, cross-shore winds and small, choppy swell. From Sunday the 23rd through to Friday the 4th of September, it’s a write-off. The wind is mostly from the north or northwest, blowing straight across the waves, and the swell is tiny—hovering around 2 ft to 3 ft. The energy is weak to moderate (in the 270 to 654 range). It’s just not worth the paddle.
Now, the standout. The morning of Saturday, September 5th. That’s your window. We’ve got a 4 ft SSW swell rolling in with a period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and it’s packing punch with a combined energy of 1073. That’s strong wave energy. The real kicker? The wind turns glassy. Yes, you heard me, glassy. The classic Cape Mendocino break is exposed to the SW, and this swell direction is right in its wheelhouse. The water will be clean, the waves will have shape, and that longer period will mean longer lulls between sets, making it easier to get out the back. This is a solid call for experienced surfers—the swell is under 5 ft, so it’s manageable for a confident intermediate, but the quality will be there.
The afternoon of the 5th holds up okay, but the wind shifts to a light cross-shore, so it’s not as perfect. The morning is the moment.
The following morning, Sunday the 6th, is still fun with a 3 ft SSW swell and light cross-onshore winds, but it’s not the same glassy gem. Then things get interesting again on Sunday afternoon. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the NW with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a big bump in size, but it’s a short-period swell, and the wind is cross-shore again. The wave energy is massive (1826), but the conditions are messy. And with the swell over 5 ft, it’s shifting into expert territory, especially with that cross-shore wind making it lumpy.
Monday the 7th sees a 7 ft NW swell, but again, it’s a cross-shore wind and not the cleanest setup. That kind of size and wind at a beach break can get sloppy. It might be more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle crowd.
So, bottom line: if you’ve got a window, the morning of Saturday, September 5th at Cape Mendocino is the best on offer. Glassy conditions, a nice long-period SSW swell, and clean lines. Don’t sleep on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NW 7 | SW 18 | NW 7 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
227 | 199 | 262 | 192 | 232 | 326 | 214 | 206 | 203 | 201 | 183 | 134 | 171 | 164 | 339 | 281 | 406 | 759 | 751 | 487 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:25PM1.72m | 10:58AM1.38m | 9:14PM1.77m | 11:24AM1.42m | 9:58PM1.81m | 11:48AM1.47m | 10:40PM1.82m | 12:11PM1.52m | 11:21PM1.80m | 12:34PM1.58m | 00:03AM1.74m | 12:58PM1.65m | 00:47AM1.65m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:09PM1.01m | 4:07AM0.05m | 3:54PM0.95m | 4:43AM0.01m | 4:33PM0.87m | 5:15AM-0.01m | 5:10PM0.79m | 5:45AM-0.01m | 5:45PM0.69m | 6:14AM0.03m | 6:22PM0.59m | 6:43AM0.11m | 7:01PM0.47m | |||||||
— | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
8:02 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | NNW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 9 | WNW 8 | NW 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 |
210 | 337 | 262 | 188 | 88 | 326 | 214 | 206 | 203 | 201 | 183 | 76 | 67 | 126 | 107 | 86 | 105 | 759 | 751 | 487 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 16 | SW 18 | S 14 | SW 17 | NW 6 | S 13 | S 13 | W 13 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SSW 19 | SSE 10 | S 10 | W 12 |
76 | 124 | 255 | 153 | 232 | 38 | 126 | 125 | 89 | 28 | 34 | 134 | 171 | 164 | 339 | 281 | 406 | 33 | 17 | 43 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 18 | S 14 | SW 18 | S 14 | S 13 | W 15 | WNW 8 | S 12 | S 12 | W 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 13 | W 10 | W 10 | S 10 |
30 | 199 | 106 | 192 | 146 | 126 | 71 | 25 | 72 | 72 | 69 | 105 | 98 | 75 | 66 | 64 | 83 | 16 | 17 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 6 | NNW 6 | N 3 | NNW 3 | N 3 | NNW 3 | NNW 4 | N 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NNW 6 |
227 | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | 25 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 13 | 30 | 176 | 124 | 152 | 140 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 54 | 21 | 334 | 93 | 0 | 152 | 151 | 51 | 151 | 151 | 51 | 334 | 436 | 40 | 151 | 436 | 40 | 151 | 211 | 0 |
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.











