Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s going on in the water, just you and me.

Alright, the outlook for Riviera starts off pretty weak, and I gotta be honest, it’s a bit of a struggle. We’re looking at a long stretch of mostly marginal conditions, with a few fleeting moments of size, but nothing that’s gonna get you legitimately excited. The first real surf we see kicks off on Saturday the 25th of July, but it’s not a pretty picture. The swell is coming from the SSW at 3 ft with a very long 21-second period, giving us a combined energy of 911 (moderate). The water is sitting at 71°F, which is 4°F above normal, so it’s much warmer than usual for this time of year – a nice surprise. But the wind is a light 6 mph onshore from the SW, and while the wave comment says "marginal", it’s just not clean. This is a beginner-friendly, very consistent break, but the wind is ruining it. The sets are slow and fat, and the onshore breeze is just not helping.

As we move into Sunday the 26th, it’s a similar story. The swell bumps up a touch to 4 ft from the SW, period still long at 19 seconds, combined energy 938 (moderate), but the wind stays onshore. The shape is still pretty ordinary. Monday the 27th sees a little more size, 4 ft from the SSW, but the wind goes cross-on, and the combined energy climbs to 1150 (strong), but it’s still a mess. The surf is consistently described as "marginal". The pattern is the same through Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th, with cross-on winds and swell around 4 ft to 4 ft. The energy is moderate to strong, but it’s all wind-affected.

Now, Thursday the 30th of July is the first time we see a real shift. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the S in the afternoon, period dropping to 14 seconds, but the combined energy hits 1374 (strong). The wind is still light onshore at 6 mph, so it’s not glassy, but the size is starting to build. This is the best of a bad bunch so far, but it’s still only a 3/10 in the books. Friday the 31st of July is the standout. The morning has a solid 7 ft from the S, period 14 seconds, combined energy 1640 (strong). The wind is a light 6 mph cross-on from the WSW, so it’s not perfect, but it’s the biggest swell of the window. This is for experienced surfers, as 7 ft is getting into expert territory. The afternoon drops to 6 ft. Still, it’s the best on offer.

After that, the party’s over. Saturday the 1st of August drops to 6 ft, then 5 ft, and the energy fades quickly. From Sunday the 2nd of August onwards, it’s a flat spell. The swell drops to 3 ft, then 2 ft, and the combined energy plummets to 305 (weak) and then below 200 for days. The wind is light and onshore, but with no swell, it’s just a lake. This continues through to the 9th of August. There’s a tiny uptick on the 8th and 9th with 2 ft to 2 ft swells from the SSW, periods around 17 seconds, but the energy is still weak (219 to 364), and it’s still "marginal". It’s not worth paddling out for.

So, honestly, the only real shot you have is Friday the 31st of July. The morning of that day, with the 7 ft S swell, is as close to a call as we get. It’s big, it’s got some energy, but the wind is frustratingly cross-on. For a beginner, that’s too big. For the rest of us, it’s the one day where you might get a few decent waves if you can find a spot that handles the wind. The long, flat gap after the 1st of August is a real bummer. It’s 8 days of nothing.

Rusty out.

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