Hookipa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. Rusty here, looking at the next couple of weeks for Hookipa on Maui.

Right off the bat, we’re in a bit of a dry spell. The entire first week, from Tuesday the 25th of August through to the end of the month, is a write-off. The trade winds are howling out of the east and east-northeast at 12 to 16 mph, blowing straight across the face. The swell is punching in from the east, but it’s short-period windswell, only 7 to 8 seconds, and the energy is weak to moderate (around 381 down to 188). The wave comment is “poor surf conditions” across the board. Don’t bother paddling out. The first week is a total gap.

We finally see a flicker of life on Thursday the 3rd of September. The swell starts to pick up a bit, coming from the east at 6 ft, but the period stretches to 10 seconds, and the energy jumps to 812 (moderate). The wind is still cross-shore out of the east at 9 mph, but it’s a gentle breeze. The wave comment is still only “marginal.” It’s not terrible, but it’s not clean. The best of the bunch comes later that afternoon—the swell hits 7 ft from the east with an 11-second period and strong energy (1070). However, it’s raining, and the wind is up to 12 mph cross-shore, so it’s going to be a choppy mess. Not the day.

Moving into the second week, the consistency improves, and the energy builds. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are still only marginal, with 6 ft to 7 ft swell from the east-northeast, 9-second periods, and moderate energy (700-780). The wind is a gentle breeze cross-shore, so there’s a slight chop, but it’s rideable. The real standout starts to show on Sunday the 6th of September. The swell is 7 ft from the east-northeast, the period is still 9 seconds, but the energy is strong (1000-1236). The wind is a gentle breeze cross-shore. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The waves will be punchy, and with the size at 7 ft, it’s getting into the intermediate-plus zone. Beginners might find it a handful. The water temp is about 80°F, which is basically normal for this time of year – no anomaly to speak of.

Monday the 7th of September is another promising day. The swell drops slightly to 5 ft, but the period bumps up to a long 11 seconds from the east-northeast, packing a lot of energy (1257). The wind is a gentle breeze cross-shore, so the surface will be pretty clean. That long period will make for nice, well-shaped lines at Hookipa’s reef. It’s not a peaky beach break, so the long period will work well here. Because it’s a fairly consistent reef break, the sets will be worth waiting for.

The last standout is on Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning starts with 6 ft from the east at a very long 12-second period, with strong energy (1186). By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 8 ft from the east-northeast, with a 12-second period and massive energy (1568). That’s a serious groundswell. It’s going to be big, powerful, and only for experienced surfers. The wind is cross-shore out of the east at 12 mph, which will put a bit of a chop on the face, but for that size and period, it’s still a go. The crowd factor is “sometimes” busy, so expect a few others out for the good ones.

After that, Wednesday the 9th of September drops off a little, with 8 ft to 7 ft, 10-11 second periods, and strong energy, but the wind picks up to 16 mph cross-shore, putting a chop on it. Still worth a look if you missed the previous days.

So, the best on offer is the Sunday the 6th to Tuesday the 8th of September window. The true standout is Tuesday the 8th: that 8 ft, 12-second groundswell from the east-northeast with strong energy (1568) is the biggest, most powerful swell of the forecast. It’s a big one, so only experts need apply. The Monday the 7th is a close second for the cleaner, longer-period lines at a more manageable size.

Rusty.

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