Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get right into it for Cape Mendocino.

Right off the bat, we’ve got some rideable swell rolling in, but it’s a short-lived window. The water is sitting at 56°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The best bet in this whole 16-day stretch is Sunday, July 26th. We’ve got a solid 4ft of groundswell out of the southwest, with a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s proper energy pushing in, with the combined swell energy hitting a strong 1285. That long period means the waves will have shape and power, especially at a spot like Cape Mendocino, which is exposed to that southwest direction. The wind is a cross-shore from the NNW at 12 mph, so it’s not glassy, but it’s manageable. This is the standout window, and it’s the only one that’s really worth paddling out for.

Monday, July 27th, holds similar size at 4ft, with a slightly shorter but still long 18-second period from the SSW. The energy is still there, with values around 1067 to 1278. Again, cross-shore winds in the 12 to 15 mph range keep it from being perfect, but it’s still surfable.

After that, it’s a slow fade. Tuesday through Thursday see the swell dropping from 4ft down to 3ft. The period drops into the 14 to 16-second range, and the winds stay cross-shore and start picking up to 15 to 18 mph. The energy levels drop from moderate to weak, and the model is calling it marginal at best.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Friday, July 31st, all the way through to Monday, August 10th, the swell is tiny—under 2ft—with weak energy (under 300) and persistent cross-shore winds. The model is calling these conditions poor, and honestly, there’s nothing here for a surfer. That’s a gap of about 11 days with no worthwhile surf on offer. For a spot like this, that kind of blank run is a bit of a bummer, but it happens.

The very end of the forecast, on August 7th and 8th, there’s a tiny blip of energy with a 2ft to 2ft swell and a long period of 18 to 21 seconds, but the energy is still weak (under 317). It’s a tease, but not enough to get excited about.

So, bottom line: if you’ve got a board, be on it Sunday the 26th through Monday the 27th. That’s your window. After that, you’re probably better off waxing your board and waiting for the next proper pulse.

Rusty.

Read more