Riviera Shorebreak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's break down what's coming for Riviera Shorebreak. Gotta be honest, this is a tough one. This spot is a fickle creature, 'rarely breaks' as they say, and the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience.

The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at about 88°, so that's a nice bonus if you're in the water.

We're looking at a long stretch of nothing, really. From Saturday the 22nd of August right through to the end of the month, the reports are all "poor surf conditions" or "marginal." The swell is tiny, mostly around 2 ft to 3 ft, with a light cross-onshore breeze messing up the surface. The combined energy is weak, mostly under 500, so there's just no power in the water. It's a real bummer. You'll be sitting on your board doing nothing.

We get a little flicker of hope on Monday the 25th, but it's still only 2 ft to 4 ft, and the comments are still "marginal at best." The wind starts to shift a bit more onshore, but it's not enough to get excited about. This continues all the way through the first week of September. There's a bit of a pulse showing on the 28th and 29th with some 4 ft swell, but the quality is still questionable.

Now, the real interesting part comes on Thursday the 3rd of September. The swell jumps up, and we're looking at proper groundswell with a period of 21 seconds. That's a very long period, which means it'll have some serious energy behind it. The combined energy ramps up to 1408, which is moderate, and then to 1899 by the afternoon. The swell is coming from the SW, which is the optimum direction for this spot. However, the wind is a cross-on, so it won't be glassy. The swell size is 3 ft to 4 ft, so it's manageable for most.

The standout window, if you can call it that, is Friday the 5th of September into Saturday the 6th. The swell builds to 5 ft - 8 ft, with a moderate combined energy punching over 2000. The period drops to 10-11 seconds, so it's a more manageable, punchy swell. The best bet looks like the Saturday morning of the 5th, with 8 ft swell from the SW and a light onshore wind from the WSW at 6 mph. The Sunday morning of the 6th is also a solid option with 5 ft swell from the SW and the wind turning light and offshore from the West. This is the only time in the whole outlook where the wind is actually offshore.

Because of the long period swells earlier, the waves at this beach break might be a bit too straight, but the later, shorter-period swell should be more fun. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have a few others out there, but it won't be packed.

So, honestly, the first two weeks are a write-off. You're waiting until the 5th and 6th of September. That Saturday morning and Sunday morning are your best shots. It's a long-range call, so keep an eye on the forecasts, but it's the only real window of decent, clean-ish surf we've got.

Rusty, signing off.

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