Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Riviera are a bit of a mixed bag and nothing to get too worked up about. The surf is on the small side for most of it, and the conditions are often just marginal. The water is sitting at 70°F with a big anomaly of 4°F, so it’s much warmer than usual for this time of year.

We start off on Saturday, 18th July, with a clean but tiny 3ft swell from the SW and a light onshore breeze. The combined energy is moderate (445) but the surf is poor. Honestly, it’s just not doing much. Sunday and Monday are more of the same – 3ft to 3ft SW swell, still onshore wind, and the forecast is calling it marginal. The energy ticks up a bit, especially Sunday afternoon (812), but the quality isn’t there.

Tuesday, 21st July, sees a slight bump to 4ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, but it’s still onshore and the score is low. The wind flips a little cross-onshore in the afternoon, so it’s not great. The rest of the week into Friday, 24th July, is a grind – small swell (2ft to 3ft), a mix of onshore and cross-onshore winds, and the energy is moderate. Thursday afternoon gets a bit choppy with a 12 mph cross-onshore, so leave the board on the beach.

Now, here’s where it gets a little more interesting. Saturday, 25th July, we see a bump in period to 21 seconds, with 3ft SW swell and light onshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 1104 – strong – and the score hits a 3, which is the best we’ve seen. Still marginal, but it’s a step up. Sunday, 26th July, is similar with 4ft SW swell and 19-second period, energy at 1161, and another 3 score. The wind stays light and onshore, but the longer period might give a few cleaner lines if you’re patient.

The standout window looks to be Monday, 27th July, through Tuesday, 28th July. Monday morning has 4ft SW swell, 18-second period, and a light cross-onshore, but Monday afternoon hits 4ft from the SSW with a 19-second period and light onshore wind – energy is 1334, strong. Tuesday afternoon is the pick: 5ft SSW swell, 18-second period, and light onshore wind, with energy at 1437. That’s the biggest, most consistent push we’ve got. The score is a 3 for both of those afternoons. This is about as good as it gets for Riviera in this window. The swell direction is SW/SSW, and the optimum is SW, so it’s a good match. For a beginner break, 5ft is on the bigger side, so be careful.

After that, it fades. Wednesday, 29th July, has a 4ft SSW swell but a cross-onshore wind and poor surf, so don’t bother. The rest of the week into early August is a slow decline – 4ft to 5ft swell, mostly onshore, with energy dropping. Friday, 31st July, has a 6ft S swell (15-second period) and light onshore wind, but it’s still marginal and the score is only a 2. That’s a bit too big for beginners anyway.

By Saturday, 1st August, the swell is 6ft S but period drops to 12 seconds, and Sunday, 2nd August, it’s tiny – 2ft to 2ft with a short period and cross-onshore wind. The energy is weak (119 to 240) and the surf is poor. That’s the end of the run.

Overall, the best bet is Monday and Tuesday afternoons, 27th–28th July, with the 4ft to 5ft SSW swell and light wind. It’s not a classic, but it’s the most energy and size we’ve got. Crowds can be an issue at times, so keep an eye out. For the rest, it’s mostly small and marginal. Don’t expect much.

Rusty.

Read more