Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what’s cooking at Riviera. This spot is as consistent as they come, but for the next few days it’s going to be a bit of a frustrating watch. We’ve got small, choppy surf and onshore winds, so don’t get your hopes up too high for this weekend or the start of the week.

We kick off with Sunday, 30 August. The morning shows a small 4ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, but a south wind is making it cross-onshore and choppy. The water is a very unusual 76°. The combined energy is moderate at 629 (combined energy of all swells directed here). It’s tricky, but you might find a half-decent wave if you’re really keen.

Monday, 31 August, is similar but smaller, with 3ft surf and a dropping energy reading of 514. Still cross-on and clean enough for a beginner on a longboard, but nothing to write home about. Tuesday is flat and messy, with 2ft waves and energy dipping to 243. The whole first week is a slow burn.

Wednesday and Thursday, 2-3 September, stay small, though Thursday sees the swell period stretching out to 18 seconds, a nice long groundswell, but still only 3ft and cross-on. The energy picks up modestly to 636, but the quality just isn’t there for a proper session. By Friday, 4 September, we get a few more pulses at 4ft and onshore wind, but it’s still a marginal call.

Now, looking into the second week, things start to get interesting. On Saturday, 5 September, we get a tiny bump in energy to 685, with a 3ft SSW swell, but the wind stays light cross-on. The real standout is shaping up for Monday, 8 September. We’ve got a solid 8ft SSW swell in the morning, jumping to 12ft in the afternoon with a massive energy reading of 4036. This is big, powerful stuff, and the note says it might actually be too big for Riviera itself. The wind is moderate cross-onshore, so for a novice, this is a definite no-go. For the experts, this could be an absolute freight train, but be prepared for a serious paddle and some heavy sets. It’s a true expert-only day.

After that peak, the swell drops off fast. Wednesday, 10 September, goes back to 5ft, and by the end of the run on Sunday, 14 September, we’re back to tiny 2ft slop and onshore winds. So here’s the takeaway: the first week is a write-off for anything decent. The second week offers one massive, mega-swell window on Monday, 8 September, but it’s for advanced surfers only at a break that can’t handle it, plus the winds aren’t glassy. Don’t expect to paddle out easily with that period.

Keep your eyes peeled, because the forecasts can change. For now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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