
Surf Forecasts:
Riviera surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, SSW swell with 1,044 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period with SSW 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 (Jul 22) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Riviera in the next 16 days are 1.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 2PM. 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 (Wed 22nd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riviera over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here, looking at the Riviera stretch for the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but there's a glimmer of something decent if you're keen to wait for it.
Right now, the surf is messy. We've got a moderate swell rolling in, with a combined energy around 553 (moderate), but a cross-onshore breeze has got things choppy and ugly. Expect small, crumbly waves around 3ft from the SSW, but the wind is killing it. Not worth paddling out.
Thursday morning, the 23rd, sees a slight improvement. The swell bumps up a touch to 4ft from the S, with a period of 13 seconds. The wind is still a light cross-on, leaving the surface with small ripples. It's still only marginal, a 2/10 kind of day. Energy is a bit stronger at 642, but the quality isn't there.
Friday the 24th holds a little promise. The morning swell is a consistent 2ft from the SW, but check out that period – 24 seconds! That's proper long-period groundswell, packing a punch with a combined energy of 954 (almost strong). The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW, so it won't be perfect, but those long lines will have some push. For a spot like this, a beach break, that long period can make the waves a bit fat and straight, so it's not a standout. The rating is still only a 1/10 due to the marginal conditions.
The weekend is a bit of a write-off. Saturday has a small 3ft swell from the SW with a 21-second period, but the wind turns onshore making it messy. The energy is 889, but the look is poor. Sunday is a similar story with 3ft and a strong cross-onshore breeze.
Now, Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th start to look a bit more interesting. The swell picks up to 4ft-4ft from the SSW, with a period around 17-18 seconds. The combined energy is into the 1000s (strong), and the wind is light, sometimes going directly offshore. This is where the best of the window sits. The waves should have some shape, but the quality is still only marginal at best, with scores of 2-3. The offshore wind Monday afternoon is a big plus.
The standout moment, if you can call it that, is Friday the 31st of July. The afternoon session sees a swell building to 5ft from the S with a 14-second period and a combined energy of 1077 (strong). The wind is light and offshore, which is a rare treat for this period. The height is pushing into the 5ft mark, so it's starting to get a bit much for beginners, but the clean conditions could make for some fun walls. Still, the overall forecast is only a 3/10, so it's a very marginal standout.
The first week of August looks poor. The swell drops significantly, and the wind picks up. From the 1st, the swell is 6ft from the S, but it's cross-onshore and choppy, making it a messy, windy mess. By the 3rd, the swell drops to tiny 2ft, and the energy is weak (166). The wind is still messy. The whole period from the 1st to the 6th is a write-off with poor conditions.
So, to sum it up: the best chance for a decent surf is Friday the 31st of July in the afternoon. The offshore wind and building 5ft S swell offer a clean window, but it's a fine line as the size is getting up there. The morning of Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th also have some potential with offshore winds, but the swell is smaller. Don't expect perfection, but there are a few hours where it cleans up. Crowds are possible at times, but with the conditions being so marginal, it might be quiet. For the rest, it's a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 21°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 24 | SSW 13 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
559 | 437 | 394 | 400 | 468 | 339 | 339 | 563 | 168 | 664 | 664 | 527 | 863 | 738 | 635 | 719 | 926 | 978 | 771 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 5:11AM0.84m | 4:40PM1.47m | 7:14AM0.88m | 5:36PM1.51m | 8:16AM0.96m | 6:26PM1.57m | 8:48AM1.02m | 7:09PM1.64m | 9:12AM1.07m | 7:47PM1.70m | 9:35AM1.11m | 8:23PM1.76m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:24PM0.42m | 9:18AM0.71m | 00:41AM0.28m | 10:30AM0.81m | 1:32AM0.15m | 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 | ||||||
— | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:53 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 22 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | W 7 | SSW 12 | SW 21 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 17 |
559 | 437 | 394 | 117 | 468 | 339 | 339 | 309 | 46 | 248 | 664 | 193 | 863 | 738 | 635 | 719 | 926 | 978 | 771 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 8 | SW 8 | S 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | SW 26 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 13 | SW 21 | SSW 12 | SW 21 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | W 7 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | W 10 | SW 12 |
54 | 32 | 203 | 400 | 123 | 171 | 96 | 82 | 168 | 664 | 179 | 527 | 203 | 138 | 32 | 103 | 101 | 66 | 87 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 21 | S 16 | SW 8 | S 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 26 | SW 24 | S 11 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 11 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 10 | W 7 |
71 | 78 | 20 | 272 | 51 | 49 | 105 | 563 | 85 | 41 | 46 | 31 | 21 | 33 | 63 | 21 | 23 | 49 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4 | 6 | 10 | — | — | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 89 | 89 | 6 | 89 | 89 | 85 | 86 | 86 | 0 | 81 | 89 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 68 | 68 | 81 | 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.










