
Surf Forecasts:
Redwood Creek surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 11s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, WNW swell with 1,037 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Redwood Creek this week:
The surf forecast for Redwood Creek over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Redwood Creek in the next 16 days are 2.1m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Redwood Creek over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up for Redwood Creek. This is a river mouth set-up that rarely breaks, so when it does, it’s a bit of a special event. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing too wild there.
The first real chance to get wet kicks off on Thursday, September 3rd. Thursday morning gives us a clean 6 ft swell from the WNW with a moderate period of 10 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore from the ESE. The combined energy is solid at 838, meaning there’s plenty of push. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and with that offshore wind, it should be a real treat. Thursday afternoon the wind swings cross-shore, and the swell picks up a touch to 7 ft, but the quality drops with that cross breeze.
Friday the 4th starts with a similar story: 6 ft WNW swell but cross winds. However, Friday afternoon is a standout. The wind goes glassy from the WSW, and the swell is a clean 6 ft from the WNW (energy 900). That’s a magical window for a spot that rarely offers clean conditions. This is your best bet in the near term.
Saturday the 5th sees a big drop-off. The swell goes to 2 ft from the SW, but check out the period: 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s tiny. The energy is weak (504), and direction isn’t right for this spot. The rest of the first week and into the second week is a real struggle. Swell sizes stay small, winds are mostly cross-onshore, and the energy numbers hover in the low hundreds. It’s a long, quiet stretch.
Around the 12th of September, things get a bit bigger but messy. Saturday afternoon sees a 10 ft NW swell, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph, with energy at 1037. That’s not for paddle surfing; that’s a kite day. The following week continues with onshore winds and messy conditions, with a few days of 7 ft+ swell but poor quality.
The real long-range beacon appears on Thursday, September 17th. Thursday morning is glassy calm, with a 4 ft NW swell. The energy is moderate at 334. The wind is dead calm, 0 mph, making the surface pristine. The river mouth might actually hold this cleanly. Thursday afternoon has a 2 ft swell from the SW with a very long 21-second period, but it’s more of a weird, weak groundswell. Still, the glassy conditions make it a novelty.
The overall pick is Friday afternoon, September 4th. That glassy, 6 ft WNW swell is the cleanest, most surfable wave in the whole 16-day run. The river mouth setup with offshore wind is a rare combination. The second best is Thursday morning, September 17th, but it’s over two weeks away, so treat that as a promising possibility rather than a sure thing.
Stay frothy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | NW 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
300 | 603 | 943 | 1037 | 726 | 576 | 378 | 251 | 245 | 269 | 255 | 209 | 167 | 164 | 125 | 113 | 89 | 162 | 211 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross | off | cross | glassy | off | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 5:07AM1.88m | 4:18PM2.60m | 6:39AM1.82m | 5:20PM2.57m | 8:13AM1.87m | 6:35PM2.57m | 9:22AM1.98m | 7:52PM2.60m | 10:11AM2.12m | 9:02PM2.66m | 10:51AM2.26m | 10:03PM2.70m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:40PM0.61m | 9:50AM1.38m | 11:50PM0.58m | 10:50AM1.52m | 1:06AM0.52m | 12:15PM1.60m | 2:18AM0.43m | 1:48PM1.58m | 3:19AM0.33m | 3:05PM1.45m | 4:11AM0.27m | 4:08PM1.26m | 4:56AM0.26m | ||||||
— | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | |
mm | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SW 14 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 |
300 | 603 | 943 | 1037 | 726 | 576 | 378 | 216 | 211 | 189 | 112 | 123 | 145 | 109 | 125 | 85 | 86 | 162 | 211 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 7 | SW 6 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NW 8 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
97 | 29 | 129 | 307 | 370 | 300 | 326 | 251 | 245 | 269 | 255 | 209 | 167 | 164 | 39 | 113 | 89 | 147 | 140 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 15 | SW 12 | W 14 | SSW 11 | W 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | WNW 14 | NW 5 | WNW 14 | SW 11 | WNW 12 | NW 5 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | SW 18 |
129 | 206 | 78 | 37 | 16 | 24 | 14 | 37 | 53 | 41 | 12 | 37 | 30 | 49 | 16 | 47 | 46 | 34 | 112 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 55 | 51 | 4 | 47 | 55 | 4 | 55 | 55 | 4 | 118 | 869 | 4 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Humboldt County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Redwood Creek Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Redwood Creek provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Redwood Creek can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Redwood Creek 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 (Redwood Creek) 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 Redwood Creek 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.
Redwood Creek is 38 km (24 miles) from McKinleyville. If you plan a vacation in Humboldt County, look for hotels and other accommodation in McKinleyville. McKinleyville has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










