Waimea Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but once it gets going, Waimea Rivermouth (Oahu) is the main show. The water’s sitting at about 80°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year – nothing unusual there.

The first bit of action worth paddling out for kicks off Thursday afternoon, the 23rd of July. It’s a small but clean 2ft swell from the SSW with a very long 20-second period. That’s groundswell, and with a river mouth setup, it should wrap in nicely. The cross-off wind from the ENE at 12 mph will keep the face tidy. The combined energy is moderate (1000). It’s a beginner-friendly break, fairly consistent, and crowds are sometimes an issue – but with these small numbers, it might not be too packed.

Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th are the real standouts for this whole outlook. Friday morning glassy 2ft SSW swell at 18 seconds, light ENE breeze at 9 mph. The energy is moderate (841). Saturday morning is a touch better: 3ft SSW swell, 19-second period, and the same light offshore-friendly wind. The energy is moderate (959). These are the best conditions you’ll see – clean, long-period groundswell, perfect for a Rivermouth lineup. On both days, the afternoon holds up well too.

Sunday the 26th is still good, with 3ft SSW swell, 16-second period, clean conditions. The energy drops a bit (456) but still moderate. Monday the 27th is glassy in the morning, 2ft SSW swell, 15-second period, light wind – nearly perfect little waves. The energy is a bit weaker (379) but the quality is high.

The first week of August is a different story. The swell shifts to a short-period, small E windswell (6-8 seconds) from the 30th of July. That period is too short for real quality, and the wind gets cross or cross-off. By Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st, the swell bumps up to 5ft-7ft, but with that short period and cross-shore chop, it’s more of a messy, drifty affair. The energy is moderate (541-611) but the quality is poor. Not worth it for a paddle.

Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of August see the swell easing to 6ft-6ft, still short period from the E, but cleaner with cross-off winds. The energy is moderate (416-490). It’s surfable, but nothing special.

The real second-week highlight is Wednesday the 5th of August. The swell drops to 4ft-4ft from the E, period still short at 7 seconds, but the wind is glassy. The energy is low to moderate (188-242). It’s small, clean, and mellow – a good day for a beginner to get out without drama.

After that, it tails off fast. Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th of August are tiny – 1ft to 2ft – with very weak energy (44-121). The wind is glassy, but there’s simply not enough push to get excited about.

So, to wrap it up: the best windows are Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th of July. That’s your clean, long-period, groundswell window. After that, the first week of August is mostly small, short-period windswell, and the second week fades into a flat spell. If you’re keen, get out there this weekend.

Rusty.

Read more