Swell Intel

Russian Gulch Surf Forecast

Northern California

Point Cabrillo4-5ftMendocino Headlands2-3ftCaspar Beach4-5ftCaspar Headlands4-5ftJug Handle State Reserve6-7+ft
Russian Gulch surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
8-9ft
overhead to double overhead
Swell Period
8.55s
Wind
17mph
N / Gusts 35mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Primary
1.0ft @ 16sSW
Secondary
0.6ft @ 12sSSW
Wind Swell
8.3ft @ 9sNW

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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

Forecast Charts

Daily Forecast

Thu, Mar 26Poor

Pretty quiet out there — 8-9ft and mostly poor with glassy conditions.

6am9am12pm3pm
16s SW|Calm
Fri, Mar 27Fair - Good

First light looks cleanest — 8-9ft on NW swell at 10s with barely a breath of wind. Swell fades as the day goes on, dropping to 6-7ft by PM.

6am9am12pm3pm
10s NW|Calm
Sat, Mar 28Fair - Good

Early morning is your best window — 6-7ft waves on NW swell at 10s with glassy conditions. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.

6am9am12pm3pm
10s NW|Calm
Sun, Mar 29Fair - Good

Steady 3-4ft waves on offer on NW swell at 7s — glassy conditions.

6am9am12pm3pm
7s NW|Calm
Mon, Mar 30Poor

Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on NW swell at 6s and barely a breath of wind. It gets a bit messier later in the day.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s WNW|Calm

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Russian Gulch Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Russian Gulch?
The current wave height at Russian Gulch is 8-9ft with a 8.55s swell period. Wind is N at 17mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
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.