Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a long 16-day window for Riviera, and I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a flat spell with a few glimmers at the very end.

The overall pattern is a drawn-out run of small, weak, and mostly messy SSW swell. For the first ten days or so, we’re looking at waves around 2 ft to 4 ft at best, but the quality is a struggle. The water, by the way, is running a very unusual 3° warmer than normal for this time of year at 74°, so it’s like a warm bath out there.

Let’s walk through it. Starting Saturday, August 15th, we see a 4 ft SSW swell with a long 16-second period, but the wind is a gentle cross-onshore from the west at 9 mph, making it feel choppy. Wave energy is moderate at 774, but the conditions are marginal with questionable tides. It’s really just a paddle-around spot for beginners if you’re keen.

Sunday the 16th is similar – a drop to 3 ft with a light cross-onshore.

Monday the 17th through to Thursday the 20th sees the swell drop under 3 ft, and while the wind turns light and onshore from the SW for a few days, the waves are tiny. Don’t get excited. The combined energy dips to the 300s and 400s. This is weak stuff.

From Friday, August 21st through to Sunday, August 30th, the story is more of the same: small SSW to SW swells, 1 ft to 2 ft, with mostly onshore or light cross-onshore winds. The period stays solidly in the 13 to 19 second range, which is proper groundswell, but there’s just not enough height to do anything with it. The energy values stay in the 100s and 200s – that’s weak.

Now, here’s the small standout. Look ahead to the last few days. Friday, August 28th, afternoon, we get a pulse: swell jumps to 4 ft from the SSW at a 16-second period, and the energy hits 1044 – that’s moderate wave energy. Still, the wind is a gentle cross-onshore from the west at 9 mph, which keeps it from being perfect. It’s marginal, but for the first time in a fortnight, there’s something with a bit of push.

Saturday morning, August 29th, is your best bet. We’ve got 4 ft from the SSW at an 18-second period, dropped to just a light breeze from the WSW at 6 mph. That’s a light cross-onshore, but close to glassy. Energy is 972, which is solid. It’ll be a little straight at a beach setup with that period, but for a beginner-friendly, very consistent break, it’s the cleanest window in the whole outlook. This is the one to pencil in.

The rest – Saturday and Sunday the 30th – don’t offer much. Sunday morning has a 3 ft SSW swell but with a southerly wind changing things up, and the energy drops back to 643.

Look, this isn’t a classic Riviera run. The good news is it’s a very consistent break, so when the swell does return, it’ll be rideable. But there’s a long stretch from August 17th through to the 27th where the waves are too small to really recommend. Keep an eye on that last weekend in August.

Stay patient,
Rusty.

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