Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks are shaping up to be for our corner of the coast.

Alright, so we’ve got a bit of a slow start here, but don't write it off just yet. The first surf on offer kicks off on Monday the 6th of July, but the conditions are going to be a bit of a mixed bag. The swell is there, but it’s not going to be a classic by any stretch. We’ve got a long-period groundswell coming in from the SSW, around 3ft, with a period of 16 seconds, and that's carrying a moderate wave energy (608). The problem is the wind is blowing cross-onshore from the west at 9 mph, and it’s making things a bit lumpy. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. For beginners at Riviera, this is pretty marginal, so tread carefully.

Moving into Tuesday the 7th, there's a bit of a window. The morning is looking better, with a clean 4ft SSW groundswell (period 18 seconds) and a light, onshore wind from the southwest at 6 mph. The energy picks up a little (835), so the waves will have a bit more push. The afternoon gets a bit messier again as the wind swings west. Wednesday the 8th follows a similar pattern: a clean-ish morning with that 4ft swell, but the cross-on wind messes it up later.

The real trouble hits from Friday the 10th through to Saturday the 11th. The wind is kicking up from the south and the chop is making it look more like a washing machine than a surf zone. The energy drops off, and the scores are poor. We’ve got a gap of a few days here where the quality is just not worth paddling out for.

After that, things settle down a bit into the second week, but the swell is smaller and the energy is weaker. The best-looking morning in that stretch is Sunday the 12th of July. We’ve got some clouds, a light onshore wind from the SW, and a 3ft SSW groundswell with a reasonable period of 14 seconds. That’s a solid beginner wave with clean enough conditions. The wind stays light and onshore through to Monday the 13th morning, which could be worth a look if you’re just getting wet.

For the true stand-out, I’d point you to Tuesday morning the 7th of July. That’s the cleanest morning we’re going to see. That 4ft swell from the SSW, with that long 18-second groundswell, and the light onshore wind will mean clean, peeling lines for the experienced surfers. The energy is moderate (835) so it’ll have a nice punch. It's not huge, but it’s the best quality on offer. The crowds at Riviera can show up sometimes, so get in early.

Later in the run, around Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th, the swell picks back up a little, hitting 3ft from the SW, but the south wind is up, making for choppy conditions again. Not ideal.

So, to wrap it up: Tuesday morning is your best bet. After that, it’s a lot of wait-and-see with the wind. The forecasts can always flip, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty

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