Rio Chico Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Rio Chico over the next couple of weeks.

First thing you need to know: the water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Rio Chico is a point break that needs a decent SW swell to work, and it's an advanced wave. It's very consistent for a point, but the crowds can show up sometimes. This is a spot that will reward you when the conditions line up, but for the first week, it's a real struggle.

The start of the period is a write-off. From Monday the 20th through to Thursday the 23rd, we’re looking at poor surf conditions with tiny, messy swell and cross-onshore winds. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting between 187 and 385 (moderate energy). The swell is short period and the wind is just ruining any chance of a clean face. You’re better off staying home.

We finally get a glimmer of hope starting Friday the 24th. The morning is still marginal, but the swell starts to build from the SW, with a period of 21 seconds, pushing the combined energy into the strong range (576). The wind is still a light cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy. This trend continues through Saturday and Sunday the 25th and 26th. The swell size stays small, around 3 ft to 4 ft, but the period is long (17-19 seconds), giving the waves some real shape. It’s still marginal, but you can start to find a few.

The standout window is the last few days of July and the very start of August. Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th see the swell push up to 4 ft to 5 ft from the WSW, with a period of 16-18 seconds. The combined energy is strong to very strong (1,057 to 1,330). This is the biggest swell of the forecast. The main caveat is the wind: it’s cross-onshore (SSW) at 6 to 9 mph, which will keep the surface a little lumpy, but nowhere near as bad as the first week. For an advanced spot like Rio Chico, this is the best you’re going to get. The swell direction is right on the money – WSW, which is the optimum. It’s going to be a proper point break wave, but it’s not for beginners at 5 ft.

After that, the swell drops back down through the 29th of July and into the first week of August. The energy fades back to weak to moderate, and the winds stay onshore or cross-onshore. The surf goes back to marginal or poor again. The best bet is to point your board at the 27th and 28th of July. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only time the swell and the period come together to give Rio Chico some real grunt.

Rusty.

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