Surf Forecasts:
Riviera surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 19s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 14s period, S swell with 1,196 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 19s 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Riviera in the next 16 days are 1.7m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riviera over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for us over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s a pretty average run for the Riviera. The first few days are a bit of a write-off with small, choppy conditions. We’ve got a long stretch of marginal surf, but don’t get too excited just yet. The water is sitting at 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a winter suit.
The first real hope pops up on Friday, July 31st, with a new S swell arrival. The early morning sees 6ft, 14-second period from the S, with light offshore wind from the WSW. The combined energy is strong (1330), so there’s some grunt behind it. That offshore wind will keep it clean, but the afternoon turns a bit cross-onshore, so make the most of the morning session. The swell settles a bit into Saturday, August 1st, still a solid 6ft from the SSW in the morning, light onshore but clean texture. The period drops to 13 seconds, which is a bit shorter, but still a decent wave for a confident beginner.
From Sunday, August 2nd onwards, the energy drops right off. By Sunday afternoon, it’s down to 3ft and the combined energy is weak (359). The following week is a real dry spell, with nothing over 2ft and poor surf conditions right through to Saturday, August 8th. The swell direction swings around, but the size is just too small for a proper paddle. The wind stays mostly cross-onshore or light, which would be okay if there was any swell, but there isn’t.
If you’re a beginner, the best window is that late July/early August run, but honestly, nothing here is a standout. The biggest day is Friday, July 31st morning, with 6ft hitting later in the day, but the wind gets messy. For the more experienced crew, the bigger swell on the 31st is worth a look, but it’s not exactly a classic. The rest of the run is a long, flat slog.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 21°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SW 24 | SSW 24 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 17 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 563 | 368 | 664 | 799 | 640 | 1100 | 863 | 743 | 719 | 1056 | 893 | 771 | 998 | 1020 | 818 | 612 | 724 | 604 | 451 | 411 | 552 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross | on | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 8:16AM0.96m | 6:26PM1.57m | 8:48AM1.02m | 7:09PM1.64m | 9:12AM1.07m | 7:47PM1.70m | 9:35AM1.11m | 8:23PM1.76m | 9:59AM1.15m | 8:55PM1.80m | 10:24AM1.19m | 9:27PM1.80m | 10:49AM1.24m | 9:59PM1.76m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:48AM0.85m | 2:10AM0.05m | 12:47PM0.83m | 2:43AM-0.03m | 1:32PM0.78m | 3:13AM-0.08m | 2:10PM0.72m | 3:42AM-0.12m | 2:46PM0.66m | 4:09AM-0.14m | 3:21PM0.61m | 4:36AM-0.13m | 3:58PM0.58m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SSW 12 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 17 |
| kJ | 304 | 220 | 664 | 799 | 640 | 1100 | 863 | 743 | 719 | 1056 | 893 | 771 | 998 | 1020 | 818 | 612 | 724 | 604 | 451 | 411 | 552 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | W 6 | S 12 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 7 | W 10 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | SSE 14 | SSE 15 | S 14 |
| kJ | 61 | 44 | 128 | 80 | 29 | 99 | 34 | 33 | 23 | 74 | 50 | 34 | 72 | 51 | 69 | 54 | 38 | 21 | 218 | 395 | 411 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 24 | SSW 24 | W 6 | W 7 | S 10 | W 6 | SSW 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | SW 12 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SE 14 | S 18 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 563 | 368 | 20 | 31 | 49 | 20 | 29 | 39 | 40 | 21 | 37 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 162 | 45 | 73 | 14 | 15 | 325 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 81 | 85 | 3 | 85 | 140 | 0 | 81 | 149 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 30 | 68 | 149 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 6 | 68 | 222 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orange County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Riviera surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Nearest