
Surf Forecasts:
Rivermouth surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, SSW swell with 3,830 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rivermouth in the next 16 days are 3.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rivermouth over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Rivermouth, and… well, it’s a mixed bag. We’re looking at a 16-day window, but the first few days are a bit of a write-off for quality surfing. There’s a real gap from the start up until July 20th where the surf is either small, a bit messy, or just not quite clicking. The water is sitting at a cool 65°F, which is about 3°F colder than the average for this time of year – that’s a proper nip in the air, so you’ll want a good steamer.
Let’s get into it. The first real standout that has me excited is Monday, July 20th, morning session at Rivermouth. We’ve got a 4ft swell pushing in from the SSW, with a solid 13-second period. The real beauty here is the wind: it’s glassy. Absolute offshore, dead calm. That’s going to make for some silky, clean faces. The combined wave energy is moderate (655), but the quality of the ride will be way better than the number suggests. This is a beginner-friendly break, and with that wind, it’s going to be a dream. Just keep an eye out for crowds – they can show up sometimes.
Then, Tuesday, July 21st morning is another glassy window. Same 4ft swell from the S, but the period stretches to 14 seconds, giving it a bit more grunt (749 combined energy). That’s a long-period groundswell, so at a place like Rivermouth (a river mouth), the waves might wall up a bit, but the glassy wind will make it work. The afternoon session on the 21st, though, sees a 10ft monster from the SSW, but the file says it’s too big for this break – that’s one for the experts only, and even then, it’s pushing it at this spot.
The 22nd of July is a solid day for the more experienced crew. Wednesday morning and afternoon both have a clean 6ft swell from the SSW/S, with offshore and glassy winds respectively. The combined energy is strong (1229 and 1214), and it’s clean. That’s a proper step up in size, but still manageable for a confident surfer.
After that, there’s a bit of a funky patch. July 23rd is just too big (13ft and 12ft) – way out of Rivermouth’s comfort zone. The 24th of July morning is back on the radar, with a 7ft SSW swell (15-second period, very long period) and a clean offshore wind (1795 combined energy). That’s a powerful, long-period groundswell that will be drawing lines. For a river mouth, that long period might make it a bit straight, but the wind is perfect, so it’s a top pick for a skilled surfer.
The 25th of July morning is also worth a look: 5ft from the S, 13-second period, and a light offshore wind. It’s clean, it’s got energy (1094), and it’s a much more manageable size. Beyond that, the last week of July and into the 30th sees a drop in quality and size, with a lot of messy cross-on winds and rain. July 30th morning has a 6ft S swell, but it’s got a cross-on wind and rain, so it’s likely a choppy mess – that’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a proper paddle session.
Best on offer: That Monday morning, July 20th, with the glassy 4ft SSW swell. Or if you’re after more power, the 22nd of July mornings or the 24th of July morning for the experienced crew. Long-range, the 25th of July morning is a promising one as well, but a bit less certain.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 10 | E 10 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | S 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
441 | 392 | 1026 | 774 | 267 | 271 | 246 | 387 | 206 | 333 | 467 | 277 | 573 | 1010 | 533 | 300 | 232 | 1044 | 3443 | 2976 | 2249 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | cross | off | cross | cross | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 8:06AM1.13m | 8:42PM1.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 2:08PM0.45m | 3:03AM0.57m | |||||||
7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
— | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 11 | E 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | S 15 |
441 | 392 | 365 | 329 | 267 | 200 | 159 | 387 | 206 | 333 | 467 | 277 | 156 | 47 | 533 | 300 | 144 | 603 | 1578 | 2976 | 2249 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 5 | SSE 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 10 | E 10 | SE 10 | S 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
3 | 10 | 316 | 186 | 261 | 271 | 246 | 159 | 125 | 123 | 96 | 94 | 68 | 14 | 31 | 65 | 232 | 99 | 60 | 60 | 43 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | SSE 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 8 | S 10 | — | — | S 14 | E 10 | SW 10 | SSW 14 | SE 9 | SE 13 | SE 9 | E 10 | SE 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 |
16 | 7 | 8 | 128 | 75 | 2 | — | — | 35 | 127 | 63 | 36 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 31 | 132 | 27 | 26 | 16 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 4 | SSW 6 | SW 10 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | — | SSW 5 | SW 6 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | — | NE 2 | ENE 4 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | — | NE 8 |
10 | 16 | 1026 | 774 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 50 | 46 | 573 | 1010 | — | 1 | 11 | 1044 | 3443 | — | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 348 | 322 | 0 | 0 | 128 | 1 | 2 | 166 | 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.










