Riet River Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.58° S 26.93° E

Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 20 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Riet River sea temperature is
17.0° C
2.9° 

Riet River surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Riet River surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 18s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with 5,847 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Riet River this week:

The surf forecast for Riet River over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Riet River in the next 16 days are 3.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 26) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Mon 20th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 11s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 24th Jul)7ft (2.1m) 18s
Most Powerful11AM (Fri 24th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 17s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riet River over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got one spot on the radar for the next couple of weeks, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 63°, which is a solid 5° colder than usual for this time of year. That’s a big deal, so don’t even think about leaving the wetsuit at home.

The main event kicks off on Monday morning, July 20th, at Riet River. We’re looking at a solid 7ft SSW swell with a 10-second period, generating a strong 1437 combined energy. The wind is howling out of the WSW at 16 mph, but it’s offshore, so the lineup is going to be clean and organized. This is quality surf, but that size is getting up there – it’s strictly for the experienced crew. The swell is coming from the SSW, which is exactly what this point wants to see.

Tuesday morning, July 21st, is a real beauty. The swell drops back to a more manageable 3ft, but the period stretches out to 16 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, full of energy, and the wind is glassy out of the SW at just 3 mph. The combined energy is 994, and the conditions will be pristine. Keep in mind, a long period swell like this can sometimes race past the beach breaks, but for a point break like Riet River, it’s magic. This is the standout session for the intermediate surfer who wants it all to themselves.

Wednesday morning, July 22nd, is another glassy morning with the wind swinging to the NNW at 3 mph. The swell is 6ft from the SSW, period around 13 seconds, and 1347 combined energy. It’s a touch bigger than Tuesday, but still clean and excellent for experienced surfers.

We hit a bit of a lull in quality after that. The wind gets messy, and the surf quality drops. The next real standout doesn’t come until the following week. Thursday morning, July 30th, delivers another glassy session with the wind out of the SW at 3 mph. The swell is 6ft from the SSW, period 13 seconds, and 1738 combined energy. It’s another clean, powerful wave for the experienced rider.

Then, on Saturday, August 1st, we get a late-afternoon call. The wind is offshore out of the W at 16 mph, and we’ve got a 8ft SSW swell with a 15-second period. That’s a massive 3776 combined energy. The wind is moderate, so it’s a bit of a battle to get out, but once you’re in the zone, it’s going to be a proper freight train. This is a long-range standout, so keep your fingers crossed that the forecast holds.

After that, the surf drops off significantly, and the wind stays strong. It looks like a pretty quiet end to the run.

So, if you’re marking your calendar, the absolute best on offer is Tuesday morning, July 21st. Glassy, head-high, and perfect shape. The second best is the late afternoon on Saturday, August 1st, if you’re brave enough to handle the size and the wind. For the rest of the time, the conditions are too inconsistent or blown out to get too excited.

Stay salty,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Thu afternoon, light winds from the S by Fri morning).

Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
4
3
4
3
4
3
3
3
1
4
5
3
3
3
0
2
3
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.1
SW
10
1.4
SE
12
1.5
SE
11
0.9
SSW
16
1.6
SSW
15
2.2
SSW
13
1.8
SSW
13
1.7
SSW
12
1.7
SSW
12
1.4
SSW
12
2.5
SW
7
3
SSW
10
3
SSW
17
3
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
15
2.2
SSW
14
2.2
SSW
14
2.2
SSW
13
1.8
SSW
12
1.7
SSW
12
1.6
SSW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
851
570
563
400
1091
1643
1083
878
890
548
696
2181
5847
4761
2913
1956
1783
1619
934
830
739
Wind (km/h)
25
WSW
20
SSW
10
WNW
0
SW
10
E
15
NE
5
NNW
20
SW
30
WSW
25
W
30
WSW
20
WSW
10
S
15
E
20
NE
10
NE
20
ENE
20
NE
15
NNE
20
NE
20
NNW
Wind State
off
cross-off
off
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
7:58PM1.34m
8:07AM1.11m
8:43PM1.22m
9:04AM1.01m
9:48PM1.11m
10:42AM0.94m
11:28PM1.07m
12:38PM0.97m
00:57AM1.11m
1:46PM1.07m
1:54AM1.19m
2:30PM1.17m
2:35AM1.29m
Low Tide
1:28PM0.33m
2:13AM0.48m
2:08PM0.46m
3:06AM0.57m
3:01PM0.58m
4:25AM0.63m
4:30PM0.66m
6:15AM0.62m
6:27PM0.66m
7:32AM0.54m
7:41PM0.58m
8:19AM0.44m
8:27PM0.48m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:11
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
7:09
7:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
5:28
5:28
 mm
3
Temp °C
18
19
15
16
17
15
19
20
15
16
18
16
17
17
16
17
19
17
23
28
27
Feels °C
13
15
13
16
16
13
18
18
11
12
12
12
16
14
13
15
16
15
19
25
23
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Riet River:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Riet River surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Riet River Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Riet River provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Riet River can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Riet River surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Riet River) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Riet River may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Are you planning a holiday in Eastern Cape (South)? If you are looking for accommodation near Riet River, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eastern Cape (South), consider staying in Port Alfred which is 5 km (3 miles) away. Other places in and around Eastern Cape (South) where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Grahamstown which is 48 km (30 miles) away, Bisho and Fort Beaufort.

Nearest locationNearest