Cape Mendocino Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.42° N 124.40° W

Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 24 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cape Mendocino sea temperature is
13.8°C
0.8° 

Cape Mendocino surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 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★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 17s 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 7s. 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 2.2m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Tue 25th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 17s
Best Surf 2AM (Tue 25th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 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 take a look at what’s cooking for Cape Mendocino over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the water is sitting at 57°, which is about 1° cooler than what’s normal for this time of year. Nothing too wild, just a little on the fresh side.

Now, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the first week plus is pretty grim. From Monday the 24th of August right through to the 3rd of September, it’s mostly a write-off. We’ve got a persistent cross-shore wind, mostly from the north, that’s just chopping everything up. The swell is tiny, under 3ft, with a lot of that energy coming from the southwest. The combined energy figures are mostly in the 300-500 range, which is weak and unimpressive. There’s a little bump of energy on the 29th (1008) and 30th (1000), but the wind is howling at 19 mph from the north, so it’s just lumpy, messy cross-chop. Not worth paddling out for.

There’s a real gap of about 10 days here with no surf worth chasing.

Then, things get interesting around the 4th of September. Friday the 4th sees a big pulse of northwest swell roll in, hitting 10ft to 12ft. The wave energy jumps way up into the 2200-2600 range – that’s strong stuff. The wind is light from the NNW, so it’s a gentle cross-shore. But here’s the catch: that’s a lot of water. Over 8ft, this is strictly for experts only. The swell period is a short 10 seconds, so it’ll be a bit raw and dumpy on the banks. It’s a standout for sheer power, but only if you’ve got the nerve.

The best window actually looks like Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th of September. On Saturday afternoon, the swell drops to a more manageable 7ft from the northwest, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind goes glassy – dead calm from the NW. That’s a magic combination for clean conditions. The combined energy is still a solid 1174. This is the pick of the entire forecast: clean, powerful waves for experienced surfers. Sunday morning stays clean with a light offshore from the WNW, but the period is still short, so the waves will be a bit crumbly. It’s still a good option, but Saturday afternoon is the real standout.

After that, it all fades back to small, windy junk from the 7th onwards.

So, to sum it up: a long dry spell, then a big, expert-only pulse on Friday the 4th, and your best bet is the glassy, 7ft NW swell on Saturday afternoon, September 5th.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds.

Mon
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
17
0.8
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
15
0.7
SSE
14
0.7
SSE
13
0.6
SW
14
0.7
SW
16
0.7
SW
17
0.8
SSW
19
1.1
SSW
18
1.1
SSW
18
1
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
246
232
326
214
206
203
201
183
192
171
164
271
281
411
759
751
487
582
463
405
Wind (km/h)
15
SW
5
SSW
10
NW
15
NNW
15
NNE
20
NNW
20
N
15
NNE
25
N
25
N
20
NNE
25
NNW
30
N
15
N
30
NNW
30
N
30
NNW
30
N
25
N
20
NNE
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
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
1:25PM1.71m
1:37AM1.53m
Low Tide
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
7:13AM0.23m
7:44PM0.37m
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:37
6:39
6:39
6:41
6:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:01
8:00
7:59
7:57
7:55
7:53
7:52
 mm
Temp °C
17
14
17
17
15
18
19
17
17
18
14
15
16
13
15
15
14
15
15
13
Feels °C
15
14
16
15
12
15
16
15
14
14
10
11
12
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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