Hookipa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right on, this is Rusty checkin’ in from the North Shore. Let’s have a look at the next stretch for Hookipa.

Alright, so we’ve got a bit of a rough start here. The first few days are looking pretty grim. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th, the wind is just straight cross-shore, blowing at 16 mph, and the swell is short-period, weak stuff. It’s all getting chopped up. The combined wave energy is weak (283-380), and the surf is just poor. You’re better off staying home for those days.

Saturday the 25th is more of the same, really. Still cross-shore winds, still a short, messy swell. The energy is starting to pick up a little (up to 493), but it’s not doing us any favours with that wind. It’s a no-go.

Sunday the 26th, we start to see a shift. The swell period jumps to 14 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, and the energy climbs to 850 in the morning and a solid 1569 in the afternoon. But here’s the thing – the wind is still cross-shore at 16 mph. That’s going to put a chop on it. The morning is still a write-off, but the afternoon gets a “marginal” rating. It’s not clean, but you might find a sneaky one if you’re desperate.

Then Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th, we’re in the same boat. The swell is there, with periods of 13 and 12 seconds, and the energy is moderate to strong (929 to 1449). The wind finally eases up a bit on Tuesday morning, dropping to 9 mph, but it’s still cross-shore. The surf is still “marginal” though. You’re not getting any clean, glassy conditions.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 29th is the standout of the whole forecast. The morning sees a 2.5m swell from the ENE, with a 10-second period. That’s about 8 feet. The wind swings around to the ESE at 12 mph, and it’s *cross-offshore*. The wave comment says “clean.” This is the best you’re going to get. The combined energy is a strong 1276. This is a legit window for Hookipa. The wave size is getting up there – over 8 feet – so this is for experienced surfers only. The afternoon drops to 2.1m (7 feet) with a 9-second period, and the wind goes lighter to 9 mph, still cross-off. It’s still clean, but the energy drops to 686. The morning is the pick.

But after that, it falls apart again. Thursday the 30th through Saturday the 1st of August, we’re back to cross-shore winds and short-period junk. The energy is low (349-576). Another blank stretch.

Sunday the 2nd of August shows a bit of hope, with a 1.8m (6 feet) swell and 8-second period, and the wind drops to 9 mph in the morning. But it’s still cross-shore, and the surf is “marginal.” The energy is moderate (685). It’s not great, but it’s not terrible.

Then we get into a long-period run from Monday the 3rd of August. The swell period jumps to 16 seconds, and the energy is strong (953). But the swell height is only 1.1m (4 feet), and the wind is cross-shore at 9 mph. That big period will make for some long lines, but with that small size and cross-wind, it’s going to be hard to get a clean one. Tuesday the 4th of August is similar, with a 13-second period and 1.1m swell, but the energy gets up to 1169 in the afternoon. Still, the wind is cross-shore.

Wednesday the 5th of August we see a 2.1m (7 feet) swell from the ENE with an 11-second period, and the wind drops to a light 6 mph in the morning. But it’s cross-onshore. The energy is strong (1114). The surf is “marginal.” It’s a tough call.

After that, the final days from the 6th to the 7th of August are just a return to poor, choppy, cross-shore conditions. The energy is weak (370-432).

So, the one true standout is Wednesday the 29th of July, morning session. That 2.5m (8 feet) ENE swell with clean cross-offshore wind is your best bet. The water temp is currently 26°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no worries there. Hookipa is a reef break, and it’s fairly consistent, but it can get crowded – the crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so be ready to share.

For the rest of it, it’s a lot of waiting. There are big gaps of poor surf, especially from the 30th through the 1st, and then again after the 5th. It’s a frustrating outlook, but that Wednesday window is solid.

Rusty.

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