
Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, NW swell with 634 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period with S 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 12s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cape Mendocino in the next 16 days are 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and get down to what matters. We’ve got a 16-day window ahead, and I’ll be straight with you: it’s a mixed bag of frustration and promise. Don’t get too excited for the next week, because conditions are going to be fighting us. But there are a couple of windows where it could all line up.
The first stretch, from Wednesday the 9th through Friday the 11th, is pretty rough. We’ve got swell, but it’s being chopped up by a solid cross-shore breeze. The energy is moderate, sitting around 328 to 713, but that doesn’t mean much when the surface is blown out. Cape Mendocino will be a mess, with lumpy conditions and poor surf. We’re looking at the 2ft to 3ft range, so there’s something moving, but it’s not clean enough to be fun. This is one of those times you’re better off finding something else to do.
Then, we get a reprieve on Saturday morning, September 12th. The wind dies, it turns glassy, and the ocean cleans up. That’s your first real window. There’ll be a 3ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the energy bumps up to 732. It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean. Cape Mendocino is exposed and picks up that SW groundswell well. This is an advanced spot, and the light winds will make the paddle out a bit easier with those longer gaps between sets. Still, with 3ft and that longer period, it’s not going to be a wave count, but the quality will be there. This is probably the best wave-to-crowd ratio you’ll find in this first batch.
After that morning, the wind picks up again and we're back to cross-shore chop for the rest of the weekend. The swell fills in a bit, hitting 5ft and 6ft by Sunday, but that fresh breeze will ruin it. We’re back to poor conditions.
Then we hit a bit of a lull from Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th. The swell drops right out, down to 1ft to 2ft, and the energy fades to between 199 and 355. Combined with the wind, it’s about as bad as it gets. This is a real dead period.
Now, keep your eyes on the second week. Things start to get interesting around Wednesday the 16th. The wind goes light, and the swell starts to build again. By Thursday morning, September 17th, we have a standout window. The conditions turn glassy with a 6ft NW swell and a 9-second period. The energy is solid, hitting 657. This is going to be the pick of the whole run. Cape Mendocino will be handling the NW swell well, and those clean conditions are a huge plus. It’s a bit bigger, 6ft is getting more serious, but for the advanced crew, this will be the one to circle. The winds stay light through Friday the 18th, with swell holding at 5ft, so there’s potential for a couple of good sessions. But remember, these longer period swells are prone to breaking a bit straight at beach breaks; Cape Mendocino is exposed, so it could be a bit full-on, but the clean conditions should help.
We get a final little tease on Sunday morning, September 22nd, with light winds and a 3ft SW swell. It’s not big, but with that glassy surface, it’s worth a paddle. The energy is moderate at 434. We’re right back to more cross-shore wind in the afternoon, so don’t sleep in.
So, to wrap it up: the start of this run is a write-off. You’ve got one decent morning this Saturday, but the real deal is next Thursday and Friday. That’s the best quality and size combination you’re going to get. The long-range stuff is promising, but we all know forecasts can change. Keep your fingers crossed.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat morning, fresh winds from the N by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 12 | S 11 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
174 | 196 | 368 | 312 | 419 | 553 | 496 | 477 | 465 | 418 | 407 | 324 | 416 | 359 | 440 | 127 | 107 | 188 | 147 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 9:37PM1.94m | 11:11AM1.64m | 10:32PM1.91m | 11:44AM1.71m | 11:23PM1.85m | 12:15PM1.76m | 00:14AM1.74m | 12:45PM1.78m | 1:04AM1.62m | 1:14PM1.78m | 1:56AM1.48m | 1:43PM1.76m | 2:54AM1.35m | ||||||
Low Tide | 4:44AM-0.12m | 4:49PM0.56m | 5:23AM-0.05m | 5:37PM0.42m | 6:00AM0.06m | 6:22PM0.30m | 6:36AM0.21m | 7:07PM0.22m | 7:11AM0.38m | 7:51PM0.17m | 7:46AM0.56m | 8:37PM0.16m | |||||||
— | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 24 | 25 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 16 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | SW 19 | WNW 12 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | NNW 10 | NW 9 | NW 10 | NW 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
193 | 238 | 368 | 184 | 419 | 553 | 496 | 477 | 465 | 421 | 278 | 324 | 273 | 186 | 142 | 116 | 84 | 188 | 147 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 18 | WNW 11 | NW 11 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 11 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
174 | 196 | 110 | 312 | 157 | 115 | 102 | 57 | 61 | 418 | 407 | 301 | 293 | 24 | 57 | 127 | 107 | 83 | 39 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 16 | WNW 13 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WNW 11 | WSW 13 | NW 10 | SW 20 | SW 16 | WNW 16 | WSW 9 | WNW 15 | WNW 13 |
105 | 132 | 69 | 94 | 81 | 45 | 96 | 39 | 85 | 85 | 47 | 33 | 73 | 60 | 41 | 25 | 8 | 84 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | — | — | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 |
— | — | 199 | 169 | 250 | 392 | 424 | 471 | 327 | 323 | — | — | 416 | 359 | 440 | 750 | 732 | 544 | 372 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 114 | 54 | 51 | 151 | 51 | 45 | 437 | 436 | 40 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 149 | 54 | 51 | 151 | 437 | 54 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Humboldt County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.










