San Vicente Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the outlook for San Vicente Rivermouth over the next 16 days is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak, and messy surf, with a couple of late-blooming windows that might save the run.

The water is sitting at 72°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing your ears off while you’re waiting for a wave.

The first couple of weeks are pretty bleak. From Monday the 3rd all the way through to Saturday the 15th of August, it’s mostly dribble. Swell heights barely nudge past 2 ft for days, with periods under 10 seconds and very weak energy. The combined energy stays below 100 until the 6th, where it bumps up to 233 (moderate wave energy) on Thursday morning, but the swell is only 4 ft from the NNW and the wind is cross-onshore from the ENE at 9 mph, making it choppy. That’s not worth paddling out for.

There are a few glassy mornings – like the 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, and 13th – but the swell is tiny, under 3 ft, and the energy is weak. On Sunday the 9th, we get a 2 ft NW swell with a 10-second period and glassy conditions, and the combined energy hits 102 (moderate). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Nothing to get excited about.

The real talk is that the best surf on offer comes right at the back end of the forecast. Sunday the 16th of August brings a 5 ft NW swell (7-second period) in the morning, with cross-on light winds, and the combined energy jumps to 237 (moderate). By the afternoon, it’s 6 ft with a bit more energy at 303. Monday the 17th looks even better – 6 ft from the NNW in the morning, period 8 seconds, and energy climbing to 409 (strong wave energy). That’s the standout. The swell is getting up there, but with a short period, it’ll be a bit lumpy. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it won’t be perfect, but it’s the biggest and most powerful we’ve seen in the whole run. This is for more experienced surfers, as it’s over 5 ft.

The bad news is that after that, it drops off again. Tuesday the 18th sees a 4 ft NW swell, but the wind picks up to 16 mph from the NW in the afternoon with a risk of thunderstorms, turning it into a choppy mess. The energy drops back to 105.

So, the only real standout is the 17th of August, with that 6 ft NNW swell and strong energy. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not set in stone. For the rest of the 16 days, it’s mostly a waiting game. The break is fairly consistent, but the quality just isn’t there. It’s a river mouth, so it doesn’t take much to get it working, but the wind and small size are killing it.

Rusty.

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