
Surf Forecasts:
Riet River surf forecast from 7 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SSW swell with 4,948 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 7 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s 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 Tuesday (Jul 07) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Riet River in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 12) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 7th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riet River over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, let’s talk about what’s brewing at Riet River. This is a classic point break, exposed to the southwest swell, and it’s the kind of wave that needs the right key to unlock. It's inconsistent by nature, so when it fires, you gotta be on it. That said, this forecast has a bit of a slow start before it gets truly interesting.
Right out of the gate, the first few days are pretty flat and messy. Tuesday the 7th through Wednesday the 8th are for the optimists only. We’re looking at swell around 5ft to 8ft, mostly from the SW, and the wind is a persistent cross-offshore. It’s rideable, but nothing special – the combined wave energy is only moderate (662 to 1785), and it’s just not locking in. The water temp is a chilly 64°F, which is 4°F colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a thicker suit.
Things start to take a turn for the better on Thursday the 9th. The swell bumps up to a solid 10ft to 12ft from the SSW, with a nice long 12-14 second period. The wind goes fully offshore on Thursday morning, and that afternoon sees a cross-off with a big jump in energy (up to 7008). That Thursday afternoon session is the first real standout. The wave has size and power, but it's getting big.
The real pick of the first week, though, is Friday morning the 10th. We’ve got a clean 12ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, light offshore wind from the WSW, and the energy is pumping at 4432. It’s a point break, so that long-period groundswell will wrap in beautifully. This is for experienced surfers only – the size and power are serious, but the conditions are absolutely pristine. This is the one to circle.
After that, the quality drops off. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th get messy with onshore winds and smaller, choppier waves. Sunday is pretty much a write-off. Heavy rain and wind from the south-east making it a washing machine.
The second week picks up again from Monday the 13th. We get consistent 10ft surf, but the swell direction swings to the ESE and SE, which isn’t ideal for this break’s optimum (SSW). The winds are often onshore or cross-shore, which kills the quality. The energy stays high (1500-1800), but it’s not the clean, groomed wave we saw on Friday.
However, there’s a major standout way out in the forecast for Tuesday the 21st of July. The model is showing a massive 16ft swell from the SSE, with an 11-second period and moderate offshore wind. The combined wave energy is enormous at 5183. This is exceptional, expert-only territory. It’s far out, so don’t book your flight yet, but if that holds, it’s going to be a day to remember at Riet River – huge, powerful, and clean.
So, the bottom line: This week’s Friday morning (the 10th) is your best bet for quality, clean, powerful waves. Next week is very hit-and-miss, but that Tuesday the 21st is a long-range monster that could be all-time. It's a spot that rewards patience.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Tue night, fresh winds from the W by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | S 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
613 | 657 | 718 | 1044 | 1651 | 2433 | 2744 | 3895 | 4518 | 4432 | 3663 | 2574 | 1574 | 1085 | 811 | 486 | 770 | 1146 | 1532 | 1435 | 914 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:39PM1.34m | 9:03AM1.11m | 9:47PM1.30m | 10:28AM1.07m | 11:10PM1.29m | 12:03PM1.10m | 00:33AM1.34m | 1:20PM1.20m | 1:42AM1.42m | 2:21PM1.33m | 2:38AM1.51m | 3:12PM1.46m | 3:27AM1.58m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:07PM0.36m | 3:05AM0.46m | 3:07PM0.44m | 4:23AM0.48m | 4:27PM0.49m | 5:50AM0.44m | 5:57PM0.47m | 7:07AM0.36m | 7:17PM0.39m | 8:09AM0.25m | 8:22PM0.28m | 9:00AM0.14m | 9:16PM0.18m | ||||||||
7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | |
— | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | E 10 |
613 | 657 | 718 | 1044 | 126 | 2433 | 2744 | 3113 | 4518 | 4432 | 3663 | 2574 | 1574 | 1085 | 811 | 486 | 394 | 1146 | 1532 | 1435 | 266 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | E 10 | E 10 | E 14 | E 13 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | SE 6 | ENE 8 | S 7 | S 7 | S 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | E 10 | S 13 |
28 | 32 | 25 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 37 | 32 | 8 | 7 | 231 | 11 | 131 | 127 | 3 | 302 | 296 | 240 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | — | — | — | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | S 18 | SW 16 | SSE 12 | SE 11 | — | S 18 |
49 | 47 | 35 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 11 | 14 | 5 | — | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 4 | SW 4 | — | — | SW 13 | SW 11 | — | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | — | — | SW 10 | S 8 |
18 | 23 | — | — | 1651 | 1933 | — | 3895 | — | — | — | — | — | 569 | 225 | 295 | 770 | — | — | 281 | 914 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 124 | 123 | 0 | 110 | 329 | 110 | 167 | 190 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 88 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 161 | 243 | 0 | 123 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










