Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. The next couple of weeks are a mixed bag for Rivermouth. We’ve got a few promising windows, but a lot of it is going to be a struggle with the wind and swell size. Let’s break it down.

We start off on Wednesday, September 2nd, with a bit of a dud. The swell is present, coming in at 5 ft from the SSW, with a period of 14 seconds, but it’s a cross-on wind from the south. The water is a touch cooler than normal for this time of year, sitting at 66°, about a degree colder than average. The combined energy is moderate (975), but the conditions are just marginal. It’s not really worth paddling out for.

Thursday and Friday (Sept 3rd & 4th) are a write-off. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, the swell is messy, and the conditions are poor. Friday morning sees a 8 ft SE swell, but it’s coming straight onshore at 12 mph, making it a choppy, blown-out mess. That’s too big for beginners and not clean enough for anyone else.

There’s a gap of a few days here with no real recommendations. The surf is small, weak, and the wind is just not cooperating. We get a bit of a spike on Sunday, September 6th, with a very long-period SSW swell (24 second period) pushing 5 ft in the afternoon, and the combined energy jumps to 1838 (very strong). The problem is the wind is a cross-shore from the ENE at 16 mph, which is creating a lumpy, cross-chop. That long-period, 24-second swell is a rare beast, but it’s going to be breaking too straight at this beach break. It’s a tease.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Monday, September 14th. The morning session shows a 10 ft SSW swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy is a massive 3024, which is very strong. Even though the wind is a cross-shore from the ENE at 19 mph, the forecast notes that the wind and tide are favorable for this break. However, 10 ft is expert territory only. This is one for the big-wave crew, and it’s going to be a heavy, powerful day. The crowd factor is possible, but for that size, it’ll thin out the pack.

After that, it drops back down, with the wind still being a problem until we hit Wednesday, September 16th. That morning is a gem. The wind is glassy, dead calm, and the swell is a clean 6 ft from the east, with a 10-second period. The combined energy is moderate (842), but with glassy conditions, that’s going to be clean, fun, and well-shaped. This is the best call for the average surfer. The glassy conditions are a major positive, and the size is manageable for most.

The final mention is Thursday, September 17th, with a 5 ft SSW swell at a very long 16-second period. The wind is a light cross from the SSW, which is okay, and the combined energy is strong (1647). The long period means it’ll have good shape and power, but it might be a bit straight for the beach break. Still, it’s a solid option.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a dud. The best bet for the experienced surfer is the big Monday, September 14th. For the rest of us, the glassy morning on Wednesday, September 16th, is the one to circle on the calendar. Everything else is a grind.

Rusty.

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