Coastal Mendocino Beaches: rip current risk and surf forecast

CaliforniaNear Fort Bragg, Mendocino CountyNWS zone CAZ109NWS EKA

No rip current risk is being issued for these beaches right now. The office issued one, but it does not cover this zone at the moment.

Buoy 46014, 17 mi out, measured 56 °F water and 8.5 ft waves. Sunset 7:12 PM.

Rip current risk: Not givenNo forecast in issue
Surf: 8.5 ftBuoy 46014
Water: 56 °FBuoy 46014
Sunset: 7:12 PMPDT

Rip current risk on the map

Today’s rip current risk in every surf zone the National Weather Service forecasts for over Coastal Mendocino Beaches. Open it for the live map, where it pans and zooms.

Open the live map with rip current risk

Map layer from NOAA National Weather Service surf zone forecasts. Boundaries from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.

Alerts in force

No beach hazards statement, high surf advisory or other warning is in force for Coastal Mendocino Beaches. Those are the products a coastal office issues when the water turns dangerous. When one is issued it appears here and on the alerts page for this area.

The surf zone forecast, period by period

Mendocino Coast. Issued 9:15 AM PDT on Tue, Sep 22 by the National Weather Service in EKA.

Today

Surf Height: Northwest Facing Beaches - 6 to 10 feet. Southwest Facing Beaches - 3 to 6 feet
Offshore Waves: NW 8 feet at 8 seconds. NW 8 feet at 13 seconds. SW 2 feet at 17 seconds
Thunderstorm Potential: None expected
Water Temperature: 55 to 56 degrees
Tides, Arena Cove: Low 0.5 feet (MLLW) 03:04 AM PDT. High 4.5 feet (MLLW) 09:50 AM PDT. Low 2.7 feet (MLLW) 02:57 PM PDT. High 5.4 feet (MLLW) 08:46 PM PDT

Wednesday

Surf Height: Northwest Facing Beaches - 5 to 8 feet. Southwest Facing Beaches - 3 to 5 feet
Offshore Waves: NW 1 foot at 8 seconds. NW 9 feet at 10 seconds. SW 2 feet at 16 seconds
Thunderstorm Potential: None expected
Tides, Arena Cove: Low 0.4 feet (MLLW) 03:39 AM PDT. High 4.8 feet (MLLW) 10:12 AM PDT. Low 2.3 feet (MLLW) 03:39 PM PDT. High 5.5 feet (MLLW) 09:32 PM PDT

The product as issued

FZUS56 KEKA 221615
SRFEKA
SURF ZONE FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA
915 AM PDT Tue Sep 22 2026

CAUTION: Most Northwest California beaches are always dangerous due to cold
water and consistent wave action. The information in this product is directed
towards those who surf and wear wetsuits.  As a rule...the general public
should simply stay out of the water along the north coast of California.

CAZ101-230700-
Coastal Del Norte-
915 AM PDT Tue Sep 22 2026


.TODAY...
Surf Height...................4 to 7 feet.
Offshore Waves................NW 5 feet at 7 seconds.
                              NW 5 feet at 13 seconds.
                              SW 2 feet at 17 seconds.
Thunderstorm Potential........None expected.
Water Temperature.............54 to 55 degrees.
Tides.........................
          Crescent City.......Low 0.5 feet (MLLW) 03:37 AM PDT.
                              High 5.3 feet (MLLW) 10:23 AM PDT.
                              Low 3.0 feet (MLLW) 03:40 PM PDT.
                              High 6.0 feet (MLLW) 09:24 PM PDT.

.WEDNESDAY...
Surf Height...................4 to 7 feet.
Offshore Waves................NW 3 feet at 7 seconds.
                              NW 6 feet at 11 seconds.
                              SW 2 feet at 16 seconds.
Thunderstorm Potential........None expected.
Tides.........................
          Crescent City.......Low 0.4 feet (MLLW) 04:14 AM PDT.
                              High 5.6 feet (MLLW) 10:48 AM PDT.
                              Low 2.4 feet (MLLW) 04:22 PM PDT.
                              High 6.2 feet (MLLW) 10:12 PM PDT.


$$


CAZ103-230700-
Northern Humboldt Coast-
915 AM PDT Tue Sep 22 2026


.TODAY...
Surf Height...................Northwest Facing Beaches - 6 to 9 feet.
                              Southwest Facing Beaches - 3 to 6 feet.
Offshore Waves................NW 6 feet at 7 seconds.
                              NW 7 feet at 13 seconds.
                              SW 2 feet at 17 seconds.
Thunderstorm Potential........None expected.
Water Temperature.............54 to 55 degrees.
Tides.........................
          North Spit..........Low 0.6 feet (MLLW) 03:38 AM PDT.
                              High 5.2 feet (MLLW) 10:30 AM PDT.
                              Low 3.0 feet (MLLW) 03:42 PM PDT.
                              High 6.1 feet (MLLW) 09:30 PM PDT.

.WEDNESDAY...
Surf Height...................Northwest Facing Beaches - 4 to 7 feet.
                              Southwest Facing Beaches - 3 to 5 feet.
Offshore Waves................NW 7 feet at 11 seconds.
                              SW 2 feet at 16 seconds.
Thunderstorm Potential........None expected.
Tides.........................
          North Spit..........Low 0.4 feet (MLLW) 04:17 AM PDT.
                              High 5.5 feet (MLLW) 10:57 AM PDT.
                              Low 2.4 feet (MLLW) 04:26 PM PDT.
                              High 6.2 feet (MLLW) 10:20 PM PDT.


$$


CAZ109-230700-
Mendocino Coast-
915 AM PDT Tue Sep 22 2026


.TODAY...
Surf Height...................Northwest Facing Beaches - 6 to 10 feet.
                              Southwest Facing Beaches - 3 to 6 feet.
Offshore Waves................NW 8 feet at 8 seconds.
                              NW 8 feet at 13 seconds.
                              SW 2 feet at 17 seconds.
Thunderstorm Potential........None expected.
Water Temperature.............55 to 56 degrees.
Tides.........................
          Arena Cove..........Low 0.5 feet (MLLW) 03:04 AM PDT.
                              High 4.5 feet (MLLW) 09:50 AM PDT.
                              Low 2.7 feet (MLLW) 02:57 PM PDT.
                              High 5.4 feet (MLLW) 08:46 PM PDT.

.WEDNESDAY...
Surf Height...................Northwest Facing Beaches - 5 to 8 feet.
                              Southwest Facing Beaches - 3 to 5 feet.
Offshore Waves................NW 1 foot at 8 seconds.
                              NW 9 feet at 10 seconds.
                              SW 2 feet at 16 seconds.
Thunderstorm Potential........None expected.
Tides.........................
          Arena Cove..........Low 0.4 feet (MLLW) 03:39 AM PDT.
                              High 4.8 feet (MLLW) 10:12 AM PDT.
                              Low 2.3 feet (MLLW) 03:39 PM PDT.
                              High 5.5 feet (MLLW) 09:32 PM PDT.


$$

The water now, measured

Buoy 46014, PT ARENA - 19NM North of Point Arena, CA, 17 mi away, reported 8:50 AM.

Waves: 8.5 ft at 13 seconds from the NW
Water temperature: 56 °F
Wind: 21 kt from the NNW

From NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Wave height is the significant height, the average of the highest third; the largest waves run half again as high. Offshore buoys read bigger than the surf at the beach.

Tides today

Noyo Harbor, 5.3 mi away. Feet above mean lower low water.

Low tide3:05 AM0.5 ft
High tide9:51 AM4.7 ft
Low tide3:02 PM2.8 ft
High tide8:49 PM5.5 ft

Low tide often exposes the sandbars and channels that shape rip currents, and the risk can run higher for an hour or two either side of it. Full tide table for Noyo Harbor.

Sun and daylight

Sunrise today: 7:03 AM
Sunset today: 7:12 PM
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:04 AM
Sunset tomorrow: 7:10 PM

Times are Pacific Daylight Time. Lifeguards are off duty outside posted hours, and the rip current risk does not fall with the light.

What this means

The three levels the National Weather Service issues, and what to do at each.

High	Life-threatening rip currents are likely. The surf zone is dangerous for swimmers of every level. Stay out of the water.
Moderate	Life-threatening rip currents are possible. Swim near a lifeguard, and follow the beach patrol and its flags.
Low	Life-threatening rip currents are not expected, but they can still form near groins, jetties, reefs and piers. Swim near a lifeguard.

If a rip current carries you out

Do not fight the current. It pulls you away from the beach, not under the water.
Stay calm and keep your head above water. Float or tread water until the pull eases.
Swim parallel to the beach, along the shore, until you are out of the current, then angle in toward the beach.
If you cannot escape, face the shore, wave your arms and call for help.
If someone else is caught, do not go in after them. Get a lifeguard, call 911, and throw them something that floats.

Thunderstorms and lightning

Thunderstorms build fast over water on a summer afternoon. Water and open sand leave you the tallest thing around. When thunder roars, go indoors: leave the water and the beach for a building or a hard-topped vehicle, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back.

A rip current is a narrow stream of water flowing away from the beach, through the surf and past the breakers. It pulls swimmers out, not under. Rip current and lightning safety guidance from the National Weather Service.

Nearby

The stretches of shore the National Weather Service forecasts on either side of this one.

Point Reyes and the Coastal North BayCAZ50589 mi

More for this place

Sources

Rip current risk, surf, water temperature and UV from the National Weather Service surf zone forecast and beach forecast, office EKA. Original at NWS. Waves and water temperature measured by NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS. Alerts from the National Weather Service for zone CAZ109.