Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 6s period, NW swell with 278 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s 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 Wednesday (Aug 05) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s 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 1.9m 6s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) 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 3.5m 9s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've stared at the charts for Cape Mendocino and I'm not gonna sugar-coat it—this is a tough stretch. The whole 16-day window is a real struggle, with barely a ripple to get excited about. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, which is about the only thing playing ball.
The first week and a half is a write-off. From Saturday the 1st right through to the middle of the following week, we're looking at tiny, weak swell with a constant cross-shore wind. The combined energy is mostly in the low 100s to 200s, which is weak to moderate at best, but the wave heights are absolutely puny—mostly 1.0ft to 2ft—and the wind is a persistent N breeze, 16 to 25 mph, just ruining any chance of a clean face. It's all lumpy cross-chop and messy conditions. There's a long gap there with zero recommendations.
Then, on Thursday the 13th of August, we get a flicker of hope. The morning shows a 7ft swell from the NW, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it'll be a bit fat and crumbly. The wind is light onshore at 3 mph, which is a positive, but the combined energy jumps to 951—moderate to strong—which is a big change. It's still only a "marginal" call, and it's a beach-and-reef setup, so that short-period, 7ft swell could be a bit messy. For the advanced crew only, and it might be more interesting for the kite surfers given the lumpy conditions. The afternoon of the 13th drops right back off to 2ft.
After that brief pulse, it's back to the same old story: weak 2ft to 3ft surf, cross-shore winds, and poor conditions through to the end of the forecast on Sunday the 16th. The energy picks up a bit in the 400–500 range, but it's still not clean, and the swell is too small to do anything with.
Honestly, mates, there's not a single standout session here. The only real window is the Thursday morning of the 13th, and even that is a gamble for the groms. Cape Mendocino is a consistent spot in the right conditions, but this run is a bust. Hang tight, check back in a few days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 183 | 134 | 136 | 99 | 92 | 70 | 49 | 44 | 43 | 41 | 86 | 79 | 55 | 73 | 72 | 96 | 65 | 68 | 82 |
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 | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 00:53AM1.70m | 2:22PM1.56m | 1:37AM1.58m | 2:50PM1.63m | 2:28AM1.44m | 3:22PM1.69m | 3:30AM1.28m | 3:58PM1.75m | 4:51AM1.14m | 4:41PM1.81m | 6:35AM1.09m | 5:33PM1.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:50AM-0.01m | 8:07PM0.70m | 8:22AM0.12m | 8:57PM0.60m | 8:56AM0.27m | 9:54PM0.50m | 9:34AM0.46m | 10:58PM0.37m | 10:18AM0.65m | 00:08AM0.24m | 11:14AM0.82m | 1:20AM0.09m | |||||||
 | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — |
 | 8:32 | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | NNW 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 116 | 88 | 55 | 99 | 92 | 70 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 41 | 86 | 79 | 990 | 73 | 72 | 96 | 65 | 68 | 67 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 15 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 19 | SW 18 |
| kJ | 183 | 134 | 136 | 75 | 46 | 45 | 49 | 43 | 41 | 24 | 14 | 14 | 55 | 32 | 14 | 31 | 28 | 37 | 82 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | S 14 | S 13 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 13 | SSW 20 | S 12 | S 12 |
| kJ | 135 | 91 | 55 | 15 | 13 | 49 | 29 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 37 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 37 | 11 | 11 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 6 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | — | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 |
| kJ | 14 | 46 | 114 | 912 | 1087 | 1496 | 2373 | 1635 | 1847 | 1913 | 1254 | 1177 | — | 1126 | 1177 | 1210 | 1535 | 1582 | 1972 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 40 | 262 | 436 | 68 | 294 | 754 | 54 | 219 | 54 | 41 | 80 | 51 | 40 | 51 | 151 | 41 | 219 | 52 | 54 |
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.
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