
Surf Forecasts:
Riviera surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 560 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Riviera this week:
The surf forecast for Riviera over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s is also forecast. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Riviera in the next 16 days are 1.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riviera over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's cooking for Riviera over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it's a tough stretch. The Riviera area is a spot that's consistent, but for the beginner crew that usually enjoys it, we're looking at a whole lot of nothing for the first week. The wind is a constant problem. It's mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the wave heights are just tiny. We're looking at a long run of poor surf conditions from Tuesday the 8th right through to the end of the first week. The swell energy is weak, with combined energy readings mostly in the low hundreds—like 237 to 384 (moderate energy) for the first few days, but the quality is just not there. The wind is the main culprit, keeping things choppy and messy.
There is a long, quiet spell here. You won't want to paddle out until the second week. The water is a warm 72.7°F at the start, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year, so at least you won't need a thick wetsuit.
Now, let's look at the second week. Here's where we get a glimmer of hope. The standout window is really the weekend of the 20th and 21st of September. The swell direction is a solid SW, which is exactly what this spot wants. For Saturday the 20th, we have a small bump of 3.0ft SW swell with a period of 17 seconds. That’s a nice long-period groundswell. The energy is moderate, hitting 595 (moderate energy) on the Saturday afternoon. The wind is light, but it's still cross-onshore, so it won't be perfect. But it's the best we've got. Sunday the 21st looks similar, with 3.0ft to 3.3ft SW swell and a 17-second period. The combined energy on the Monday afternoon hits 610 (moderate energy), which is the highest in the whole forecast. The wind is still cross-onshore, but it's light, so the surface will be manageable. Crowds are *sometimes* a problem here, so with a bit of luck, you might get a few waves to yourself.
Tuesday the 22nd also looks okay, with 3.0ft to 3.3ft SW swell and a 16-second period, hitting 650 (moderate energy) in the afternoon. Again, light cross-onshore wind. It’s rideable, but it’s not glassy.
All in all, don't get your hopes up for the first week. The second week has some small, long-period SW groundswell that will make the point break work, but the wind is never fully offshore. It's marginal, but it's surfable. The Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th are a write-off with poor conditions.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Tue afternoon, min 22°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Tue afternoon, calm by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 19 | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
194 | 145 | 173 | 278 | 419 | 547 | 502 | 483 | 471 | 365 | 309 | 211 | 164 | 160 | 147 | 130 | 129 | 108 | 150 | 190 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 7:43PM1.91m | 8:47AM1.49m | 8:28PM1.91m | 9:17AM1.59m | 9:10PM1.83m | 9:46AM1.66m | 9:50PM1.71m | 10:15AM1.70m | 10:31PM1.55m | 10:44AM1.70m | 11:13PM1.36m | 11:11AM1.66m | 11:59PM1.17m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:39AM-0.20m | 2:28PM0.34m | 3:11AM-0.15m | 3:10PM0.23m | 3:40AM-0.05m | 3:52PM0.16m | 4:08AM0.08m | 4:33PM0.14m | 4:33AM0.24m | 5:15PM0.16m | 4:56AM0.41m | 5:59PM0.22m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 31 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 |
Feels °C | 30 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 |
194 | 145 | 67 | 278 | 419 | 547 | 502 | 483 | 471 | 365 | 309 | 211 | 164 | 65 | 122 | 72 | 121 | 87 | 47 | 38 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
154 | 135 | 135 | 86 | 82 | 16 | 16 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 38 | 39 | 160 | 147 | 87 | 85 | 108 | 150 | 190 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 8 | W 5 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 10 | S 9 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | S 9 | S 8 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
112 | 130 | 173 | 45 | 12 | 72 | 46 | 39 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 42 | 35 | 13 | 13 | 130 | 129 | 84 | 40 | 38 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
24 | 17 | 9 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 89 | 71 | 71 | 89 | 6 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 68 | 69 | 89 | 32 | 81 | 89 | 12 | 81 | 89 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Riviera Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Riviera provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Riviera can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Riviera surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Riviera) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Riviera may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Riviera is 2 km (1 miles) from San Clemente. If you plan a vacation in Orange County, look for hotels and other accommodation in San Clemente. San Clemente has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










