H-Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this straight right off the bat: the next two weeks are pretty grim for H-Reef. We’re looking at a solid run of poor surf conditions that kicks off today and stretches all the way through to the end of July. There’s a real gap here with no quality waves on offer until the final few days of the forecast period, so don’t get your hopes up for any early sessions.

From Tuesday the 14th through to Saturday the 25th, it’s all cross-shore winds and tiny, weak swell. The combined energy is mostly in the 200–300 range (moderate) at best, but the height barely hits 5 ft. The period is short, mostly 6–8 seconds, so the waves are just messy and poorly shaped. Winds are a constant 9–16 mph cross-shore from the ENE or E, so there’s always a chop. The water temp is 79°, about average for the time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s normal.

The one standout window is at the very end. On Saturday the 25th, a new groundswell arrives with a very long period of 14 seconds, and a combined energy of 492 (moderate). The height is small at 3 ft, but the period is promising. The real juice comes Sunday the 26th: swell height 5–5 ft, period 15–16 seconds, with energy jumping to 1305–1360 (strong). That’s a proper long-period groundswell kicking in. The catch is the wind is cross-onshore from the ENE and NE, which will bump it up a bit. Still, it’s the best we’ll see. H-Reef is a reef break that handles long-period swell well, and with the swell direction from the E and NE, it’s a decent match for the optimum NNE. This is an advanced wave, so it’s only for experienced surfers. The energy stays strong into Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th, with heights up to 7–8 ft and period 12–15 seconds, but the wind remains cross-shore or cross-onshore, keeping it from being perfect. The 28th hits 8 ft with a 13-second period and energy over 2100 (very strong) – that’s big and powerful, paddling out will be a mission, and it’s strictly for experts. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might get a few others out there, but with the quality being marginal, it won’t be packed.

Bottom line: save your energy for the last weekend of July. The 26th and 27th are the pick of a messy bunch, but don’t expect perfection – the wind is just not cooperating.

Rusty

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