Deadman's Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.02° N 124.07° W

Deadman's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 08 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Deadman's sea temperature is
14.6°C
0.1° 

Deadman's surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Deadman's surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, NW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 14 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, NW swell with 650 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Deadman's this week:

The surf forecast for Deadman's over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Deadman's in the next 16 days are 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Tue 8th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 12s
Best Surf 8AM (Mon 14th Sep)7ft (2.2m) 8s
Most Powerful 8AM (Mon 14th Sep)7ft (2.2m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Deadman's over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a good look at what’s coming up at Deadman's.

First off, the water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year. No weird anomalies there.

The outlook starts on Tuesday, September 8th. Honestly, it’s a bit of a slow start. Tuesday morning you’ve got a small 3ft S swell with a moderate 13-second period, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s a bit messy. The combined energy is moderate (445). Not worth jumping for. Tuesday afternoon cleans up a little with a cross wind, but it's still small.

Wednesday morning is similar, but hold on – Wednesday afternoon, September 9th, is where it gets interesting. The wind drops to glassy, and we get a 2ft SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period. The combined energy jumps up to 586 (moderate). The guidance says “expect very good surf conditions.” For a reef setup like Deadman's, that long period will really shape up nicely. The sets will be clean, lined up, and there will be plenty of time between them to paddle back out. This is a standout window.

Thursday, September 10th, also looks good. The morning is a bit cross, but the afternoon has glassy conditions again with a 3ft SW swell, 17-second period, and strong combined energy (862). That’s another real winner for the reef.

Friday, September 11th, starts to go downhill. The morning has a moderate cross breeze, and by the afternoon it’s a moderate cross-shore with a chop and poor conditions. The swell is still 3ft but the wind kills it.

The weekend through the first half of the following week is a bit of a write-off. Saturday, the 12th, and Sunday, the 13th, have poor conditions and messy wind. The swell on Sunday afternoon even shifts to a short-period 5ft NW swell, which won’t have the same juice for the reef.

Monday, September 14th, sees the swell push up to 5ft, but it’s short-period (8 seconds) and the wind is fresh and cross-shore. The combined energy is moderate (769) but the quality is poor. This is more of a messy, lumpy situation. For a beach break it might be okay for kites, but for paddling, it’s ugly.

The 15th and 16th are similar – small, short-period, poor wind. The 16th afternoon has a clean cross-offshore wind, but the swell is a paltry 4ft from the NW at 7 seconds. Not much to work with.

Now, we get a bit of a reprieve later in the window. On Thursday, September 17th, the afternoon sees a 2ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, light cross-on wind, and moderate energy (547). It’s marginal but could be a sneaky clean session.

The real hidden gem here is the 18th and 19th. Friday, September 18th afternoon: glassy, 2ft SW swell, 19-second period, moderate energy (520). Saturday, September 19th afternoon: glassy again, 3ft SW swell, 18-second period, moderate energy (669). Both are rated for “very good surf conditions.” For a reef break, those long-period groundswells and glassy wind are a dream. The crowd factor is listed as “often,” so don’t expect to have it to yourself, but the quality will be worth it.

The last couple of days (20th to 23rd) have a few more marginal sessions, but the 22nd afternoon shows a 5ft NW swell with a 13-second period and very strong combined energy (1298). The wind is light cross-shore, but the swell direction is NW, which isn’t ideal for Deadman's (it prefers SW). So it’s a big, powerful swell but might not hold its shape as well here.

So, the best windows are Wednesday afternoon (Sept 9th), Thursday afternoon (Sept 10th), and then a second standout run on Friday afternoon (Sept 18th) and Saturday afternoon (Sept 19th). Get those dates in your head.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
2
1
3
2
2
3
3
1
0
3
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
S
13
0.7
SSW
14
0.8
S
12
0.9
S
11
0.7
SW
19
0.7
SW
18
0.9
SW
17
1
SW
17
1
SW
16
1
SW
16
1
SW
15
1
SW
15
1
SW
14
0.9
SW
14
0.9
SW
14
0.7
SW
14
1.4
NW
9
1.1
NW
9
1.6
NW
8
2
NW
8
1.3
NW
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
209
193
171
198
368
312
424
553
496
477
459
418
412
301
293
186
321
178
349
444
205
Wind (km/h)
10
W
5
NW
15
NE
10
NW
5
WNW
10
NE
10
WNW
0
WNW
15
N
20
NW
25
NW
10
NNE
15
WNW
20
WNW
10
NNE
10
NW
25
NW
10
NNE
15
NW
30
NW
15
NNE
Wind State
cross-on
cross
off
cross
glassy
off
cross
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
off
cross
cross
off
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
10:34AM1.54m
9:41PM2.01m
11:10AM1.66m
10:38PM2.00m
11:44AM1.75m
11:32PM1.95m
12:16PM1.83m
00:23AM1.85m
12:48PM1.87m
1:13AM1.73m
1:19PM1.88m
2:03AM1.60m
1:51PM1.86m
2:55AM1.46m
Low Tide
3:43PM0.76m
4:40AM-0.15m
4:40PM0.58m
5:22AM-0.09m
5:31PM0.41m
6:00AM0.02m
6:18PM0.27m
6:35AM0.17m
7:03PM0.17m
7:09AM0.35m
7:47PM0.13m
7:41AM0.53m
8:33PM0.13m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:50
6:50
6:52
6:52
6:54
6:54
6:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:37
7:35
7:32
7:31
7:30
7:28
7:27
 mm
Temp °C
22
23
20
24
24
22
20
17
17
19
21
17
15
16
15
16
18
16
17
20
15
Feels °C
20
21
19
22
22
21
18
16
17
15
16
14
12
13
13
13
14
13
14
15
12
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Deadman's Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Deadman's provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Deadman's can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Deadman's 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 (Deadman's) 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 Deadman's 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.

Deadman's is 86 km (53 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.

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