Hookipa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

Alright, I’ve looked at the charts for Hookipa, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off with a constant cross-shore wind messing up the line-up. The water temp is sitting right about average for this time of year, about 79°, so nothing weird there.

The pattern starts with Friday afternoon, the 10th of July, with a flush of weak, short-period swell from the ENE at 6 ft. The wind is howling cross-shore at 16 mph, and the whole thing is just a mess. The combined energy is weak (291), and the wave comment says it all: poor surf. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th are more of the same, with the swell building to 7 ft on Sunday afternoon, but it's still short-period windswell and cross-shore wind. The energy is starting to creep up a bit, hitting 563 on Sunday, but the quality is just not there.

This poor run continues all the way through the week. We get a little drop in wind speed on the 14th and 15th, but it's still cross-shore. The swell stays small and weak. The whole period is a grind. Things bounce up a bit on the 18th and 19th with some 7 ft swell from the E, but it's still short-period, and the wind is a fresh cross-shore, creating a lumpy chop. The energy is moderate on those days (472-513), but the conditions are poor.

The only glimmer comes on the 20th of July. The morning session has the swell at 5 ft from the E, period still short at 8 seconds, but the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the ENE. It's still cross-shore, but the report says "gentle cross-shore with slight cross-chop," and the score is a marginal 1. This is the best it gets, but it's not a standout. The energy is still moderate (500), but it's the only time the wind isn't ruining it.

The very end of the forecast, around the 22nd to the 25th, the swell does something interesting. The period jumps to 14 seconds on the 22nd, a proper groundswell, but the size drops to only 2 ft. Combined with a cross-shore wind, it's pretty much a non-event. The energy is weak. On the 24th, the swell direction shifts to the NNE, which is the optimum direction for Hookipa, but again, the size is tiny at 3 ft. It's a total tease.

So, what's the call? Honestly, there is no standout. There is no day where the stars align. The constant cross-shore wind is the biggest killer. If you're desperate for a paddle, the 20th of July morning is the least bad option, but don't expect much. The rest of the 16-day window is a frustrating mix of onshore chop and small, weak swell. This is a classic case of a long, blank run for the area. Keep an eye on it; forecasts can change, but right now, it's a week-plus of waiting.

- Rusty

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