Northern California
Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on W swell at 8s with light winds out of the SW.
Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on W swell at 8s with light winds out of the SW.
Best window·Friday 7AM–10AM·2-3+ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Russian Gulch, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with gentle SW breeze. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3+ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 2-3+ft and poor - fair conditions with light S winds.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with gentle ENE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the NW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on WNW swell at 5s and gentle ENE breeze. The NW wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and very poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on NW swell at 5s and light E winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the NW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Russian Gulch turns Good.
Check Russian Gulch from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Russian Gulch is a sheltered cove beach break along the Mendocino coast that offers some protection from larger winter swells while still capturing quality fall and spring groundswell. The sandy bottom and cove geography create more forgiving conditions than the exposed coast, making it one of the mellower spots in the Mendocino area. Still requires NorCal cold water confidence and awareness of currents.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Russian Gulch is 2-3ft with a 9.3s swell period. Wind is WSW at 5mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Russian Gulch is 2-3ft, produced by a 4.6ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 1.4ft SSW secondary swell at 12s, a 1ft SW tertiary swell at 16s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Russian Gulch is Friday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 3ft waves, a 10.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Russian Gulch works best with a W swell and E winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Russian Gulch. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Russian Gulch is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Russian Gulch is a sheltered cove beach break along the Mendocino coast that offers some protection from larger winter swells while still capturing quality fall and spring groundswell. The sandy bottom and cove geography create more forgiving conditions than the exposed coast, making it one of the mellower spots in the Mendocino area. Still requires NorCal cold water confidence and awareness of currents.
The prime season at Russian Gulch is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Russian Gulch include cold water, rip currents, rocks at cove edges, sharks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Russian Gulch forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
