Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk conditions. The next couple weeks are looking small and clean at Riviera, but the juice just isn’t there for anything to get too worked up about. We’ve got a lot of knee-high slop on the way, with a couple of days that could be fun if the swell fills in and the wind stays light. The water is a balmy 76°F, which is a serious 9°F warmer than the norm for this time of year – that’s a massive anomaly, you’ll be in boardshorts, maybe a rashie. It’s going to feel like a warm bath.

The next few days are a write-off. Tuesday afternoon has a westerly cross-on breeze making it a bit messy, with a tiny 2ft SW swell (152 combined energy). Wednesday and Thursday are light onshore, but the swell is still only 2ft with a short period, so it’s just not worth paddling out for anything more than a splash. The energy is weak (142–205), and the waves will be soft and gutless.

The first real sign of life comes Friday morning, the 7th. The swell pushes up to 2ft from the SSW, and the period jumps to 19 seconds – that’s a proper long-period groundswell, giving the small waves a bit more push and shape. The combined energy jumps up to 447, which is moderate, but it's still small. The light SW wind is onshore, but it’s clean. It’s not a standout, but it’s the first time the ocean looks like it’s trying. Friday afternoon holds at 2ft, still with that long 19-second period.

Saturday the 8th starts off looking a little more interesting. The SSW swell is 3ft with a 17-second period, and the morning has light onshore wind. The energy is up there at 412. It’s still small, but it’s your best bet for a longboard or a groveler. The tide might be a bit funky, but it’s a better chance than the rest of the week. By Saturday afternoon, the wind turns westerly cross-on, and it gets a bit lumpy, so get on it early.

The quality drops off again through the weekend and into the start of next week. Sunday morning has a cross-on breeze and a 3ft SSW swell at 15 seconds, but the wind messes it up a bit. The afternoon looks cleaner with light onshore wind and a 3ft swell, but it’s still marginal. Monday and Tuesday are back down to small, weak swells with onshore winds, and the energy drops back into the 200-400 range. It’s just not happening.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The second week, starting Thursday the 14th, the swell models start showing some real potential. The energy jumps up to 563 on Thursday morning with 2ft at 19 seconds. But Friday the 14th is looking like the standout of the whole window. The morning has a clean 2ft SSW swell with that long 19-second period and light onshore wind. Energy is up at 563. But the afternoon is where it’s at – the swell bumps up to 3ft, the period drops to 18 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 760. The wind is light and onshore, but it should still be clean. This is the one to watch, but it’s a week out, so treat it as promising, not guaranteed.

After that, things stay small but consistent. The 15th and 16th have some cross-onshore winds, with the swell hovering around 3ft. The energy is still moderate-to-strong (560-639), but the wind will keep it a bit bumpy. The 17th has a cleaner morning with a light cross-onshore breeze and 3ft of swell. It's still small, but rideable.

The last few days of the window, the 18th and 19th, are more of the same – small SSW swells, light onshore mornings, and afternoons getting a little cross-onshore. The energy stays in the 300-400 range. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s surfable on the right board.

So, bottom line: the start of this period is a bust. You’re looking at five, maybe six days of nothing worth getting wet for. The real window is from Friday the 14th through the weekend after. Friday afternoon, the 14th, has the most energy and the best potential of the whole 16 days. Get on it if you can. It’s a small wave spot, so don’t expect anything over chest high, but the long period and the light wind should make it clean and fun. This is a Riviera – it’s a beginner-friendly beach break, so it’s not going to hold much size anyway. The conditions will be more important than the height.

Alright, I’m out. Keep an eye on the forecast, and if that Friday afternoon window holds, you’ll be glad you did.

Rusty

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