
Surf Forecasts:
Rivermouth surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 17s period, SSW swell with 1,596 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rivermouth this week:
The surf forecast for Rivermouth over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rivermouth in the next 16 days are 1.6m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Tue 14th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rivermouth over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here.
We’ve got a solid run of waves coming, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The first solid days are on Tuesday the 14th, but we’ll get to that. The real standout, the one you’ll want to circle on the calendar, is the window around the 21st and 22nd – that’s where the magic is.
Let’s start with the opening act. Tuesday morning the 14th at Rivermouth is a cracking start. You’re looking at clean 6 ft of ESE swell, with a period of 9 seconds and moderate wave energy (544). The wind is a glassy 3 mph from the NE – that’s near-perfect conditions. The water’s a bit colder than normal, sitting at 65°, which is a notable drop from average for this time of year. Afternoon holds up just as well, with a slight shift to an E swell at 6 ft and still glassy. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, and it’s very consistent, so you can get plenty of rides. But be aware, crowds are possible here.
The rest of the week goes a bit sideways. Wednesday the 15th gets a cross-shore wind that chops things up, and the swell quality drops. Thursday the 16th has a bigger energy reading (744) from a 4 ft E swell, but the cross-onshore wind kills the surface. Friday the 17th drops off further, and the weekend is messy with moderate cross-shore breezes and poor conditions. Basically, from Wednesday the 15th through Sunday the 19th, it’s a bit of a write-off – not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate.
Now, here’s the good stuff. Monday the 20th afternoon starts to show some life, with a jump in energy to 6 ft from the S and a very strong energy reading (1079), but the cross-shore wind keeps it from being perfect. The real change comes Tuesday the 21st. Tuesday morning, the wind goes cross-offshore from the NNW at 9 mph, cleaning up a solid 5 ft SSW groundswell with a long period of 13 seconds. That’s proper energy (1061). Tuesday afternoon gets even better: the wind drops to a slight 3 mph from the NNE, still cross-off, and the swell period stretches to a very long 16 seconds, pumping out 2020 energy units. This is top-tier for experienced surfers – the long period will make for powerful, well-shaped waves at this river mouth, but it might be a bit much for beginners.
If you can wait, Wednesday the 22nd is the absolute peak. Wednesday morning is glassy, no wind from the N, and the swell hits 8 ft from the SSW with a 14-second period. The combined energy is a massive 2612 – that’s strong to very strong wave energy. This is for experts only. Wednesday afternoon drops a bit to 6 ft, but the wind goes cross-onshore, so the morning is the clear pick.
After that, the surf fades again. Thursday the 23rd has strong, clean offshore wind from the SW at 25 mph, but with only 4 ft on offer, it’s not worth the hassle. The following week shows some small, inconsistent swells and mediocre winds, with a few moments on Saturday the 25th morning (clean 4 ft) and Monday the 27th morning (glassy 3 ft) that look okay for a longboard.
So, here’s the bottom line: Rivermouth is your only game in town, and it’s a good one. The standout window is Tuesday the 21st through Wednesday the 22nd. If you’re an experienced surfer, don’t miss Wednesday morning the 22nd – that’s the session. The setup is more interesting for paddle surfing than kiting, given the long-period groundswell and clean conditions.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SW 8 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | S 13 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
474 | 553 | 513 | 441 | 392 | 470 | 394 | 323 | 247 | 246 | 374 | 202 | 220 | 344 | 281 | 170 | 135 | 94 | 314 | 942 | 734 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:59PM1.57m | 4:13AM1.62m | 4:42PM1.64m | 4:54AM1.61m | 5:23PM1.67m | 5:33AM1.56m | 6:02PM1.65m | 6:10AM1.47m | 6:40PM1.58m | 6:47AM1.37m | 7:18PM1.48m | 7:24AM1.25m | 7:57PM1.36m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:45AM0.07m | 10:04PM0.13m | 10:26AM0.02m | 10:49PM0.10m | 11:05AM0.00m | 11:30PM0.13m | 11:42AM0.03m | 00:11AM0.19m | 12:17PM0.10m | 00:50AM0.28m | 12:52PM0.20m | 1:29AM0.38m | 1:28PM0.32m | 2:11AM0.48m | |||||||
7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
— | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 20 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | S 13 | S 12 |
474 | 553 | 513 | 441 | 392 | 352 | 394 | 323 | 247 | 196 | 374 | 202 | 220 | 344 | 281 | 170 | 135 | 94 | 314 | 942 | 734 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 10 | SW 4 | SSE 10 | SSW 8 | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | SE 9 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ENE 6 |
70 | 27 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 157 | 222 | 265 | 245 | 246 | 156 | 123 | 92 | 52 | 65 | 53 | 31 | 41 | 118 | 137 | 45 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 9 | S 10 | — | — | S 15 | S 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 13 | E 10 | S 13 | ENE 9 | SE 11 |
— | 19 | 15 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 128 | 68 | 2 | — | — | 17 | 73 | 92 | 66 | 43 | 111 | 44 | 126 | 29 | 76 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SW 4 | SSW 6 | SW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | SW 2 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SW 5 | — | — | ENE 6 |
— | — | — | 14 | 17 | 470 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | 83 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25 | — | — | 87 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 269 | 258 | 0 | 1 | 199 | 0 | 269 | 276 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rivermouth Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rivermouth provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rivermouth can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rivermouth 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 (Rivermouth) 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 Rivermouth 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 - Wild Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Rivermouth, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast, consider staying in East London which is 26 km (16 miles) away. Other places in and around Eastern Cape - Wild Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Butterworth which is 59 km (37 miles) away, Stutterheim and Bisho.










