Northern California
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.
Sun, May 10: 6–7ft, 12s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 6-7ft and mostly poor with strong N wind at 17mph.
Mon, May 11: 5–6ft, 11s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 5-6ft on WNW swell at 11s with gentle NNE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the N and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Tue, May 12: 4–5ft, 11s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on WNW swell at 11s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Wed, May 13: 4–5ft, 13s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on WNW swell at 11s with light winds out of the ESE. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Thu, May 14: 4–5ft, 12s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on W swell at 11s with glassy conditions. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
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 5-7ft with a 11.55s swell period. Wind is N at 17mph and 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 5-7ft, produced by a 3.6ft W primary swell at 12s, a 0.9ft SW secondary swell at 16s, a 0.8ft SW tertiary swell at 18s, a 4.7ft WNW wind swell swell at 7s. 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 Wednesday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 4ft waves, a 11.1s swell period, and conditions rated Good. 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
