Cape Mendocino Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for the Cape Mendocino area.

Truth is, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, and we’ve got a real slow start. The first few days are pretty much a write-off, so don’t rush to wax up just yet. From Saturday, August 29th, right through to early September, the conditions just aren’t playing ball. The winds are cranking from the cross-shore and cross-onshore directions, and the wave quality is poor. You’re looking at a lot of moderate breezes and chop, with swell heights around 3 ft to 4 ft. The combined energy is moderate, ranging from 910 to 1241, but the wind is ruining it. It’s a long stretch of poor to marginal surf, so sit tight for about a week.

Now, the first real standout moment comes on Wednesday, September 9th. This is the one you want to circle on the calendar. We’ve got a solid 7 ft swell rolling in from the NW at 12 seconds, which is a nice long-period groundswell. The combined energy is strong at 1541. The real kicker is the wind: glassy, zero wind from the WNW. For a spot like Cape Mendocino, that’s as good as it gets. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 55°, which is a bit over a degree cooler than average. This is a setup for experienced surfers – at 7 ft, it’s going to be pushing it for anyone not comfortable in bigger, more powerful surf. The swell direction is NW, which is a good match for the optimum SW direction, so it should wrap in nicely. Thursday morning, the 10th, still has some decent 5 ft leftovers from the NW, but with a light cross-onshore, it won’t be as clean as Wednesday’s glass.

Later in the run, we’ve got another promising window. Saturday, September 12th morning is looking glassy with a light SSW wind, and a 3 ft SW swell. That’s a smaller, clean window for the mellow crew. The energy is moderate at 613. It’s not a big day, but with glassy conditions, it’ll be very user-friendly. Then on Sunday, September 13th, the afternoon goes glassy again with a tiny 2 ft SW swell, but the period is a very long 18 seconds. That’s a real long-range groundswell, so it’ll be clean but the energy is moderate at 402. It’s a small wave, but perfect for a longboard and a quiet session.

So, to wrap it up: skip the first week. The standout is Wednesday, September 9th, for the bigger, cleaner, more powerful surf. The smaller, glassy windows on the 12th and 13th are solid secondary options for a clean, more relaxed paddle.

Stay stoked, and keep an eye on the horizon.

Rusty.

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