Viareggio - Royal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Viareggio.

Right off the bat, the next week or so is pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of flat, weak conditions, so don’t even bother waxing up until we get towards the end of the month.

Viareggio - Royal is the only game in town, and it’s an exposed, inconsistent beginner spot that needs a solid SW swell to get going. The water is sitting at a very unusual 83°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a good three and a half degrees above average, so it’ll feel like a bath.

For the first several days, from Sunday the 23rd right through to the end of the week, it’s tiny. We’re talking ankle-snappers at best – 0.3 ft to 2 ft of weak, short-period windswell. The combined energy is barely registering, often under 50 (33), and the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. The wind does swing offshore from the ENE in the mornings, which would make it clean, but there’s simply no water moving to ride. A couple of afternoons have a light cross-onshore breeze, but again, no swell to work with.

Saturday the 29th is where things get interesting, but with a big catch. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the SW, with a combined energy of 817 – that’s moderate, but solid. The problem? The wind is howling onshore from the WSW at 12 mph, turning it into a blown-out mess. This is more of a kite surfer’s day than a paddle surfer’s, unless you like getting chopped up. The period is a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be lumpy and disorganised.

Now, Sunday the 30th – that’s our standout. The morning session is the one to circle. We’ve got a clean 7 ft SW swell, still a short 7-second period, but the wind is glassy – a light SSE breeze at 3 mph. Combined energy is a solid 646. This is the best window in the whole forecast. Expect some decent, if a bit short-period, waves. It’s a bit big for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, it’ll be fun and clean.

The good news fades quickly. Monday the 31st drops back to 2 ft, and the rest of the first week of September is a repeat of the flat spell. Mornings are clean with light offshore winds, but the swell is negligible – 0.7 ft to 3 ft. There’s a brief uptick on the 1st and 2nd with some 4 ft to 4 ft surf, but the wave comment is still “very ordinary conditions,” and the energy is only 131 and 136. Not worth the paddle.

From Thursday the 3rd onward, it’s back to zero – flat, with no swell energy at all. The wind picks up from the SW and WSW, bringing rain and even a risk of thunderstorms by the 6th. The period ends with nothing on the table.

So, to sum it up: the only real chance to score is the morning of Sunday, 30th August at Royal. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got. Otherwise, keep the board in the car and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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