Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming down the pipe for Cape Mendocino. I'll be straight with you, it's a lean run for the next couple of weeks. We've got a lot of wind and not much wave to show for it, but there are a couple of windows where things might just come together.

We kick off from Friday the 7th of August, and honestly, for the first six days, it's a write-off. The wind is screaming from the north and north-northwest at 19 mph, and it's cross-shore all the way. The swell is tiny, barely 1 ft to 2 ft, and the water is a brutal 53°F – that's 5°F colder than usual, which is seriously unusual for this time of year. The combined energy is weak, sitting around 324 to 250, and it's just a lumpy, choppy mess. Not worth getting wet for.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Thursday the 13th of August. The wind finally drops, and by Thursday afternoon it goes glassy. We're still looking at small swell of 2 ft from the SW, but with a period of 16 seconds, that's a long-period groundswell. The energy is still moderate (222), but with glassy conditions, it's a rare chance for a clean, slow session. Friday the 14th looks even better, with glassy conditions all day and the swell period stretching to 19 seconds. The energy bumps up to 352. This is a true standout for clean, small waves. It's a very long period, so the sets will be few and far between, but the shape at a point break like this should be nice.

Saturday the 15th of August sees a slight bump in size to 3 ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore, taking the shine off. The energy is up at 632, but those light onshore ripples will mess with the face. The next real curtain-raiser doesn't come until Wednesday the 19th of August. We get a proper pulse of swell from the NW, hitting 6 ft with a period of 13 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1678, which is strong. Now, this is a big one for experts only. At 6 ft, it's too much for beginners, and the cross-shore wind at 16 mph will keep it a bit lumpy. It's a powerful, raw day, but the quality is marginal.

After that, the swell fades again back into the 2 ft to 3 ft range with those persistent northerly cross-shore breezes through to the end of the forecast on the 22nd of August. So, the pick of the whole period is definitely Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th of August. It's not big, but it's clean, and that's a rare thing in this outlook.

Rusty.

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