Surf Forecasts:
Riversdale surf forecast from 18 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 14s period, SSW swell with 11,611 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 19 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Riversdale this week:
The surf forecast for Riversdale over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 19) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Riversdale in the next 16 days are 5.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 20) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sat 19th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 18ft (5.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riversdale over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 5°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, strong winds from the WNW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 4°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SE 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | S 6 | S 8 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | S 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 255 | 259 | 322 | 917 | 565 | 242 | 744 | 1780 | 11611 | 2479 | 1265 | 835 | 266 | 196 | 355 | 329 | 362 | 790 | 1037 | 940 | 367 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross | off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 10:25AM1.39m | 10:50PM1.28m | 11:12AM1.36m | 11:37PM1.25m | 11:59AM1.35m | 00:23AM1.23m | 12:46PM1.33m | 1:09AM1.22m | 1:32PM1.33m | 1:54AM1.22m | 2:18PM1.34m | 2:40AM1.23m | 3:04PM1.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:46PM0.26m | 4:59AM0.29m | 5:33PM0.29m | 5:44AM0.31m | 6:19PM0.31m | 6:29AM0.32m | 7:05PM0.32m | 7:14AM0.32m | 7:50PM0.32m | 8:00AM0.30m | 8:36PM0.30m | 8:46AM0.28m | 9:21PM0.27m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | -1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SE 11 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 18 | S 8 | S 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 |
| kJ | 255 | 259 | 220 | 917 | 565 | 242 | 90 | 30 | 7352 | 2479 | 1265 | 835 | 266 | 102 | 355 | 109 | 362 | 174 | 650 | 568 | 367 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 15 | SE 12 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | SE 10 | ENE 10 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | S 17 |
| kJ | 25 | 10 | 322 | 195 | 126 | 82 | 47 | 6 | 20 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 23 | 208 | 329 | 30 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 212 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 8 | NE 11 | ESE 11 | ENE 10 | SE 14 | SE 10 | NE 10 | E 10 | SE 12 | SE 11 | — | E 10 | ESE 11 | E 9 | ESE 14 |
| kJ | 104 | 86 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 8 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 20 | — | 2 | 12 | 7 | 37 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 4 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 14 | — | — | NNE 10 | NW 4 | S 6 | — | — | S 6 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | NNW 2 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 744 | 1780 | 11611 | — | — | 9 | 21 | 196 | — | — | 170 | 790 | 1037 | 940 | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 80 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 172 | 91 | 91 | 26 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 213 | 0 | 106 | 106 | 91 | 26 | 63 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Wairarapa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Riversdale surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Riversdale Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Riversdale provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Riversdale can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Riversdale 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 (Riversdale) 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 Riversdale 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.
Riversdale is 38 km (24 miles) from Masterton. If you plan a holiday in The Wairarapa, look for hotels and other accommodation in Masterton. Masterton has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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