Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Riviera. It’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks, but there are a few moments where it might just come alive.

We’re starting off quiet. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th have some waist-high swell rolling in from the SSW, but the winds are cross-onshore or onshore, making for messy, choppy conditions. The energy in the water is moderate, with combined readings around 740 to 690. Not worth paddling out for, honestly.

Monday the 31st sees the swell drop a touch, with heights around 3ft and a long period of 14 seconds, but the wind is still onshore to cross-onshore. The wave quality is poor, with energy dropping to the 450-540 range. Still a no-go.

Tuesday through Thursday of the first week are much the same – small, inconsistent, and choppy. There’s a bump on Wednesday the 2nd with 4ft SSW swell and moderate energy near 600, but the wind (cross-onshore) ruins the shape. Friday the 4th has a little more energy (982) but the wind is up to 12 mph and cross-onshore – just messy.

Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th offer a slight improvement. The swell holds around 4ft, period around 15-16 seconds, and the wind backs off to a light breeze or slight air, mostly onshore. Still, the wave comment is “marginal,” so not a standout. Energy is moderate, around 650-800.

Now, here’s the first real standout – Monday the 7th of September. Swell bumps up to 5ft, then 6ft in the afternoon, from the south with a 14-second period. Combined energy jumps to 878 in the morning, then 1112 in the afternoon – that’s moderate to strong energy. The winds are light to gentle cross-onshore, so it’ll be a bit lumpy but surfable. If you’re keen and can handle a little chop, the afternoon could be your best bet early on. But for clean faces, the wind is not quite perfect.

Then, Tuesday the 8th of September is the real highlight – but it’s only for experienced surfers. Riviera will see a solid 8ft SSW swell in the morning, growing to 12ft by afternoon, with the energy readings going through the roof: 1930 in the morning, then a massive 3123 in the afternoon. That is very strong wave energy. The swell period drops to 12-13 seconds, so it’s not the longest period, but there’s a lot of power. The wind is cross-onshore, but with that much swell, it will be a heavy, grinding wall. However, 12ft is way too big for beginners. The forecast even says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break – so this is an expert-only day, and even then, expect a beastly, challenging session. The water temperature earlier was recorded at 75°F, with a whopping 7°F anomaly – that’s much warmer than normal for late August, which is very unusual. Keep that in mind if you’re paddling out.

After that, the surf drops quickly. Wednesday the 9th has a 6ft leftover swell, but the period drops to just 8 seconds, and the energy falls to 698. Winds are up to 12 mph cross-onshore, so it turns sloppy fast. From Thursday the 10th through Saturday the 12th, we’re back to small, weak swell – around 2ft to 3ft, mostly poor conditions, with energy readings below 400. Not worth the effort.

Finally, Sunday the 13th of September offers a little glimmer. The morning brings 3ft SSW swell with a 12-second period and – get this – glassy conditions, with a light breeze from the north. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions,” and the energy is a modest 370. That’s a small window but for a clean, fun-sized wave with nobody around, it might be the best quality you get in the whole run. The afternoon gets messy again with strong cross-onshore wind.

Best standout: Tuesday the 8th of September for experts – massive, powerful swell with very strong energy, but dangerous for anyone without experience.
Second standout: Sunday the 13th of September morning – small but glassy and clean, perfect for a longboard quiet session.

Overall, the first week is a write-off for quality. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations. The second week has one big, intimidating day and one small glassy morning. If you’re a beginner, skip the 8th entirely. If you’re a local charger, mark the 8th afternoon on your calendar – but be careful out there.

Rusty.

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