
Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 21s period, SSW swell with 1,221 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with SSW 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 4s. 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 1.2m 21s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 21s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me break down the surf outlook for the next 16 days.
To be brutally honest right off the bat, it’s looking pretty grim for paddle surfing around here. The window starts with a few pulses of swell, but the wind is just never our friend. We’re looking at a long stretch of frustrating conditions, and I’m not seeing a single standout session that’ll have you racing for your wetsuit.
The first real chance of any action comes Sunday, July 19th. We’ve got a 6ft NW swell for the morning, but don’t get too excited. The wind is cross-on from the NNW at 9 mph, making it a fairly choppy mess. The combined energy is moderate (902), but the wave comment just says “marginal”, and honestly, it’s not worth the paddle out. The water is a very unusual 51°, which is a massive 6° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be freezing your tail off for nothing.
Monday, July 20th, is more of the same. The morning has a 6ft NW swell, with a light onshore wind. The wind state is “unknown” for the morning, which is always a red flag, and the afternoon has a long-period 16-second SW groundswell at 3ft, but it’s cross-on. The combined energy is moderate (881), but the wind just kills it.
We then hit a massive dry spell. From Tuesday, July 21st, all the way through to the end of the first week of August, the data is almost entirely “poor surf conditions” with scores of zero. The wind is relentless, coming from the north or NNW at 12 to 22 mph, constantly cross or cross-on. It’s a lumpy, choppy, blown-out mess. The swell is a mix of short-period junk and some longer-period SSW groundswells, but the wind is so strong it’s only good for kite surfing. The combined energy does spike up to strong levels on the 24th and 25th of July, with over 1000 energy, but with a 16 mph crosswind, it’s just a big, bumpy, dangerous wall for a paddle surfer.
Towards the end, on August 2nd and 3rd, we see a slight drop in wind speed, but it’s still cross-on, and the swell is small and weak. The combined energy drops to 308 and 267, which is just weak. There’s no chance of a clean wave.
So, what’s the best on offer? Honestly, there isn’t one. The whole 16-day window is a washout. The combination of persistent, strong winds and poor surf quality means you’re better off finding a new hobby for a few weeks. It’s a blank run, and for this area, that’s not entirely unusual when the north winds set in.
Stay tuned, but expect to be disappointed.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | NW 8 | SW 17 | SW 17 | NW 8 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SW 24 | SW 23 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
398 | 434 | 419 | 371 | 362 | 367 | 248 | 279 | 214 | 191 | 116 | 170 | 236 | 233 | 447 | 374 | 801 | 558 | 1221 | 890 | 872 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 4:20PM1.72m | 4:18AM1.27m | 5:00PM1.73m | 5:43AM1.12m | 5:42PM1.73m | 7:28AM1.07m | 6:27PM1.73m | 9:03AM1.12m | 7:14PM1.74m | 10:11AM1.21m | 8:03PM1.75m | 11:00AM1.28m | 8:50PM1.78m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:47AM0.18m | 10:56PM0.49m | 10:31AM0.41m | 00:05AM0.40m | 11:20AM0.62m | 1:13AM0.29m | 12:16PM0.80m | 2:16AM0.19m | 1:21PM0.93m | 3:10AM0.09m | 2:25PM1.00m | 3:58AM0.01m | 3:21PM1.02m | 4:39AM-0.05m | |||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 8:44 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:42 | — | — | 8:42 | — | — | 8:40 | — | — | 8:39 | — | — | 8:38 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | SW 17 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | S 11 | NW 8 | S 11 | S 10 | NNW 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | NNW 8 | SSW 13 | SW 24 | SW 23 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 |
398 | 434 | 458 | 371 | 346 | 232 | 178 | 209 | 140 | 114 | 98 | 84 | 236 | 233 | 143 | 158 | 801 | 558 | 1221 | 890 | 872 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 15 | WNW 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 12 | SSW 15 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 |
259 | 239 | 419 | 261 | 362 | 367 | 177 | 279 | 187 | 191 | 116 | 170 | 77 | 64 | 173 | 141 | 181 | 123 | 155 | 181 | 161 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SSE 12 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 16 | WNW 13 | SW 14 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 |
245 | 27 | 163 | 160 | 173 | 272 | 248 | 64 | 214 | 50 | 72 | 58 | 34 | 31 | 447 | 374 | 156 | 139 | 96 | 58 | 37 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 8 | — | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 4 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | — | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 |
— | 541 | — | — | — | — | — | 178 | — | 140 | 140 | 3 | 103 | 140 | — | 184 | 280 | 339 | 382 | 352 | 277 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 334 | 151 | 40 | 51 | 152 | 40 | 151 | 151 | 51 | 482 | 51 | 0 | 151 | 51 | 51 | 316 | 54 | 41 | 151 | 436 | 59 |
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.










