Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the Cape Mendocino stretch. We’ve got a pretty quiet run ahead, so don’t get your hopes up for anything firing just yet.

First off, the water is sitting at 53°F, which is a solid 5°F colder than usual for this time of year. That’s a noticeable chill, so you’ll want the thickest wetsuit you’ve got – it’s much colder than normal out there.

The first few days are a write-off. Sunday the 9th through to Thursday the 13th are all “poor surf conditions” with messy cross-shore winds and lumpy, choppy sea. The swell is tiny, around 1ft to 2ft, and the wind is howling from the NNW at 18 mph. Don’t even bother.

We start to see a shift on Friday the 14th. The morning session at Cape Mendocino looks alright – glassy conditions with a light SW wind, and a clean 2ft SSW groundswell. The energy is moderate (277), and the period is a solid 15 seconds, so there’s some shape there. It’s not big, but it’s clean. That’s your first real window.

Then things get a bit interesting. Saturday the 15th brings a bit more size, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s messy. However, Sunday the 16th afternoon has a standout moment: glassy conditions, a 3ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is strong at 651. That’s the best on offer in the whole forecast – clean, punchy, and with that long-period groundswell for shape. It’s a small window, but it’s the one.

After that, we have a few more marginal days. Monday the 17th is cross-shore and lumpy. Tuesday the 18th afternoon goes glassy again with a 3ft SSW swell – another clean session, but smaller. Then Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th are back to poor conditions. The second week dries up fast, with mostly small, cross-shore junk.

Friday the 21st through to Sunday the 23rd are all poor or marginal, with tiny 1ft to 2ft swells and cross-shore winds. The highlight in the second week is Monday the 24th morning – glassy, 2ft SW swell with a 18-second period. It’s small, but it’ll be clean. That’s the only other real option.

So, the best two windows: Sunday the 16th afternoon is your standout – glassy, solid 3ft, long-period groundswell. And for a quieter, cleaner session, Friday the 14th morning or Monday the 24th morning are your best bets. Don’t expect much else. The stretch from the 9th to the 13th is a total dead zone, and the second week is mostly a dud.

Rusty out.

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