Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, lookin' at the charts for Cape Mendocino. Mate, I'm gonna be straight with you—this 16-day stretch is a tough one. We're lookin' at a real quiet spell with nothing but small, messy waves and cross-shore winds pretty much the whole way through. The water's sittin' at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want the thickest wetsuit you've got.

The best we've got is a tiny window starting Friday, the 21st of August. It's not much, but it's the only thing that's surfable. Friday morning, you'll find some small 2-foot SSW groundswell with a long 14-second period. The wind is a light 6 mph WNW breeze, which is onshore, but it's light enough that you might get a few clean ones. The combined swell energy is weak (284). It's marginal, but it's the best bet in a dry spell. The following days are pretty much a write-off. From Saturday, the 22nd, through to the 5th of September, we're looking at a long stretch of poor, cross-shore winds and tiny surf. The swell energy stays weak, with most readings below 500. There's a pulse of NW windswell on the 23rd and 24th, with a 6-foot and 5-foot swell, but the period is a short 7-8 seconds and the wind is a messy cross-shore, so it's going to be a lumpy, close-out mess. That's more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddling one. There's a glimmer of hope on the 29th of August—a 3-foot SSW swell with an 18-second period, giving a moderate energy of 937, but the fresh cross-shore winds will chop it up again. The trend continues into September, with a 7-foot NW swell on the 2nd of September, but again, it's cross-onshore and choppy. Honestly, the only real window is that Friday morning. The rest of the time, save your energy and wait for a better forecast. The pattern is poor, but it can't stay this bad forever.

Rusty

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