Redwood Creek Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.29° N 124.09° W

Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 am 21 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Redwood Creek sea temperature is
14.2° C
0.2° 

Redwood Creek surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Redwood Creek surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, NW swell with 413 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 7s. 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 1.9m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Fri 21st Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 10s
Best Surf 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug)6ft (1.9m) 8s
Most Powerful11PM (Sun 23rd Aug)6ft (1.9m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Redwood Creek over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Redwood Creek has on offer for the next couple of weeks. The river is barely a whisper for most of the run, with weak, messy conditions dominating. The forecast is a bit of a grind, but a real standout window appears in early September that could make it all worthwhile.

The first few days are a tough watch. Friday morning the 21st through to the end of the month sees tiny, cross-onshore swell with combined wave energy bumping around in the low to mid hundreds (272 to 433). The waves are small, the wind is messy, and it's just not worth paddling out for anything serious. There's a brief moment on Saturday morning the 22nd with glassy conditions, but the swell is only 2ft from the WNW – it's clean but tiny. The run of poor conditions stretches for well over a week, with the surf staying small and the wind generally onshore.

Then, things start to get interesting. We get a pulse of energy building from the 1st of September. Tuesday afternoon the 1st sees a jump in energy to 910, with a 6ft swell from the WNW, but the cross-on wind keeps it rough. The real story is the following day. Wednesday morning the 2nd of September, we've got a solid 8ft swell from the NW with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 1900. The wind is light and offshore. This is big, powerful groundswell. By Wednesday afternoon, it's pushing 10ft with a cross-on breeze, but still a very notable swell. Thursday the 3rd stays big, with 8ft to 12ft swells, though the period drops and the wind is still messy.

But the absolute standout is Friday the 4th of September. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning brings a 8ft NW swell with a clean, cross-off wind from the SSE. The wave energy is a very strong 1180. Then, in the afternoon, it goes glassy. Completely glassy, with a 10ft NW swell. That's a rare, special combination. The water temp is about average for the time of year. This is expert-level territory—over 8ft is big, powerful, and not for the faint of heart. The energy is massive (1492), and with the long period and river break setup, it could be pushing out some heavy, fast walls. This is the best the window has, and it's a serious one.

Saturday the 5th of September looks like a step down, with the wind shifting back onshore and the swell dropping.

So, to sum it up: don't bother for the first week and a half. The grind is real. But keep your eyes on Friday the 4th of September. That window of clean, glassy, solid groundswell is a true highlight. It's a long way out, so the forecast might shift, but as it stands, that's your best bet for a real session.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
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
1
1
0
1
0
0
3
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
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)
0.5
SW
14
0.7
WNW
10
0.6
WNW
10
0.6
WNW
10
0.6
WNW
10
0.8
WNW
9
1.1
NW
8
1.8
NW
7
1.8
NW
8
1.4
NW
8
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
17
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
14
0.6
SW
15
1.6
NW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
115
108
78
75
74
90
147
318
354
252
246
173
216
214
125
159
157
151
132
134
262
Wind (km/h)
5
WSW
10
WSW
5
ESE
5
WSW
10
WNW
10
NE
10
NW
15
NNW
5
SE
10
WSW
5
SW
5
S
10
WSW
10
SSW
5
SSE
10
WSW
10
NW
5
ENE
10
NW
15
NNW
5
NE
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
off
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
8:45AM1.77m
6:49PM2.33m
9:55AM1.85m
7:52PM2.35m
10:39AM1.93m
8:50PM2.41m
11:11AM2.01m
9:40PM2.48m
11:39AM2.10m
10:25PM2.55m
12:05PM2.19m
11:08PM2.58m
12:30PM2.28m
11:49PM2.57m
Low Tide
12:24PM1.63m
2:40AM0.72m
1:46PM1.66m
3:33AM0.63m
2:55PM1.63m
4:17AM0.54m
3:49PM1.55m
4:55AM0.46m
4:34PM1.44m
5:28AM0.41m
5:16PM1.32m
5:59AM0.41m
5:56PM1.18m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:31
6:31
6:33
6:33
6:35
6:35
6:37
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:07
8:05
8:04
8:01
8:00
7:59
7:57
 mm
Temp °C
17
18
14
18
20
15
19
19
15
20
20
15
17
17
14
17
18
15
18
18
13
Feels °C
17
17
15
18
20
14
17
17
14
19
20
14
16
16
13
16
17
14
16
16
12
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  • 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 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.

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