Swell Intel

Russian Gulch Surf Forecast, Northern California

Northern California

Point Cabrillo1-2ftMendocino Headlands1-2ftCaspar Beach1-2ft
Russian Gulch surf spot

Current Conditions

Fair
Wave Height
2-3ft
knee to waist high
Swell Period
14.35s
Wind
5mph
SSW / Gusts 7mph
Conditions
Fair
Active Swells
Primary
2.4ft @ 8sNW
Secondary
1.2ft @ 14sWNW
Tertiary
1.0ft @ 12sSSW

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 312-3ft
Fair
6am9am12pm3pm
Wed, Apr 12-3ft
Fair

Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on NW swell at 8s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the SSW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.

6am9am12pm3pm
8s NW|3-10mph SW
Thu, Apr 29-10ft
Poor - Fair

Dawn patrol is the move — 5-6ft on WNW swell at 9s with moderate NW wind around 11mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.

6am9am12pm3pm
10s WNW|5-13mph NNW
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Sat

Forecast Charts

Russian Gulch Surf Spot Guide

Break
Beach
Bottom
Sand
Level
Intermediate
Crowd
Light
Best Swell
W
Best Wind
E
Season
Fall

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.

Cold waterRip currentsRocks at cove edgesSharks

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

Russian Gulch Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Russian Gulch?
The current wave height at Russian Gulch is 2-3ft with a 14.35s swell period. Wind is SSW at 5mph. Conditions are rated Fair.
How accurate is the Russian Gulch surf forecast?
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.
What is the breaking wave height at Russian Gulch?
The current breaking wave height at Russian Gulch is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.4ft NW primary swell at 8s, a 1.2ft WNW secondary swell at 14s, a 1ft SSW tertiary swell at 12s. 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.
When is the best time to surf Russian Gulch?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Russian Gulch is Saturday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 5ft waves, a 9.4s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.