
Surf Forecasts:
Cape Mendocino surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with 643 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cape Mendocino this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Cape Mendocino in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) 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 2.5m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Mendocino over the next 16 days.
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next two weeks at Cape Mendocino are a real mixed bag, and mostly a frustrating one. We’ve got a long stretch of lumpy, cross-shore wind and poor surf quality, with only a couple of afternoons offering a glimmer of hope. Let’s get into it.
The overall pattern is dominated by persistent cross-shore winds, mostly from the N and NNW, that are just chewing up the surface. There’s plenty of energy in the water, but it’s all messy. The first real bit of swell we see is on Thursday morning, July 9th, with a solid 4ft SSW groundswell (period 16 seconds) and a hefty combined energy of 1121 – that’s a lot of power. But the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-shore from the NNW, making it lumpy. The score is a 1 out of 10, and it’s just not worth paddling out for. Through Thursday afternoon, the swell jumps to 7ft from the NW, but the period drops to a short 8 seconds, and the wind is still cross-shore. That’s a lot of close-outs.
From Friday, July 10th, right through to Wednesday, July 15th, we’re in a ditch. The swell drops right off, the wind is relentless, and every single session is marked as “poor surf conditions.” The combined energy values are mostly in the 200-800 range, which is weak to moderate, but it’s all junk. There’s a quick spike on Thursday morning, July 16th, with a 8ft NW swell – that’s proper size, and energy is 1471 (strong). But the period is just 8 seconds, and it’s cross-shore. At that size, it’s only for experts, and with that wind, it’s going to be a messy, heavy close-out. Not the one.
The only real standout in this whole outlook comes later on. On Sunday afternoon, July 19th, we get a bit of magic. The swell is only 3ft, but it’s a long-period 18-second SSE groundswell, and the combined energy is 1578 – that’s strong. The wind is a gentle 15 km/h cross-shore from the NNW, so it’s clean with just a slight chop. This is the best wave on offer, and it’s still a marginal call (score 3/10). For a spot that’s exposed to SW swell, this SSE direction is a bit off, but the long period will wrap in nicely. It’s fairly consistent here, but it breaks rarely, so when it does, you want to be on it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing to write home about.
After that, it’s back to the same story: poor conditions and cross-shore wind through the rest of the forecast. There’s a bit of a gap from July 20th onward, with nothing worth recommending. The energy stays weak to moderate, and the wind just won’t ease up.
So, if you’re looking for a paddle, keep your eyes on that Sunday afternoon, July 19th. It’s the pick of a pretty grim bunch. For the rest of the time, honestly, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the strong cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | NW 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 7 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SSW 13 | WNW 14 | W 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | WNW 10 | WNW 20 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
643 | 478 | 372 | 372 | 367 | 334 | 268 | 272 | 546 | 614 | 386 | 408 | 297 | 238 | 184 | 69 | 103 | 194 | 194 | 160 | 216 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 8:06AM1.05m | 7:02PM1.89m | 9:33AM1.14m | 7:54PM1.98m | 10:39AM1.25m | 8:48PM2.06m | 11:31AM1.36m | 9:44PM2.12m | 12:18PM1.44m | 10:38PM2.15m | 1:01PM1.50m | 11:31PM2.12m | 1:42PM1.56m | 00:24AM2.04m | |||||||
Low Tide | 12:47PM0.74m | 2:45AM-0.05m | 1:51PM0.86m | 3:40AM-0.25m | 2:56PM0.92m | 4:33AM-0.40m | 3:57PM0.93m | 5:23AM-0.49m | 4:56PM0.90m | 6:11AM-0.52m | 5:52PM0.84m | 6:56AM-0.48m | 6:48PM0.78m | ||||||||
5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
— | 8:49 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | NW 10 | NW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 8 | W 14 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 20 |
643 | 441 | 372 | 372 | 367 | 334 | 134 | 173 | 249 | 168 | 173 | 229 | 127 | 118 | 184 | 39 | 103 | 41 | 154 | 120 | 216 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 18 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | S 19 | S 18 | S 18 | WNW 17 | SSW 14 | WNW 15 | SW 19 | WNW 14 | WNW 8 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 13 | SW 16 |
— | 160 | 134 | 65 | 94 | 85 | 268 | 272 | 29 | 25 | 55 | 54 | 66 | 76 | 133 | 69 | 24 | 194 | 194 | 87 | 161 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NW 8 | NW 8 | S 20 | W 19 | W 16 | W 18 | W 15 | S 18 | WNW 14 | S 16 | WNW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 13 | WNW 20 | WNW 13 |
— | — | — | — | 18 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 25 | 18 | 24 | 37 | 45 | 70 | 67 | 62 | 93 | 89 | 160 | 53 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 7 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 5 | NNW 4 | N 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 8 |
478 | 478 | 364 | 181 | 87 | 53 | 46 | 64 | 546 | 614 | 386 | 408 | 297 | 238 | 147 | 32 | 34 | 16 | 42 | 105 | 714 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 40 | 262 | 437 | 54 | 151 | 436 | 51 | 316 | 436 | 40 | 151 | 436 | 51 | 151 | 436 | 40 | 151 | 436 | 59 | 334 | 436 |
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.










