Hooks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gap from now until Thursday the 3rd. First surf window opens Thursday morning, but it’s grim. The Hooks is showing 2ft of east-southeast windswell at 9 seconds, and the forecast is for a risk of thunderstorms. East wind onshore at 9 mph. Water temp is 81°, about 2° cooler than the average for this time of year—close enough to call it normal. Combined energy is weak at 90. This isn’t a “go” day; it’s a “sit in the car and watch” day.

The whole first week stays pretty gutless. Thursday afternoon bumps up to 3ft at 9 seconds, but the wind is still onshore and the energy is moderate at 162. All the same, the wave comment is poor. Friday morning the swell drops to 3ft at a short 7 seconds, with the wind turning cross-onshore from the southeast. Choppy and nothing to get excited about. That afternoon the period collapses to 4 seconds—that’s just wind chop. The combined energy is a weak 67.

Saturday through Monday is a flat spell. Swell heights hover around 2-2ft, with periods in the 5-6 second range. There’s a glassy moment Sunday morning—wind from the west-northwest at 3 mph—but there’s nothing behind it. Energy readings are in the teens and twenties. You’d be chasing ripples.

The first real pulse arrives Tuesday the 8th. Morning sees 4ft at 8 seconds from the east, with a moderate energy reading of 181. But the wind is cross-onshore from the east-northeast at 9 mph, so it’ll be lumpy. That afternoon it pushes to 4ft, with energy up to 228, but the wind goes straight onshore. The Hooks is an exposed break, so it won’t handle that wind well. Still, it’s the biggest swell of the window so far.

Wednesday the 9th backs off to 3ft at 7 seconds, with onshore east wind at 12 mph. Energy is moderate at 126. It’s surfable for someone desperate, but the quality isn’t there. The rest of that week fades into the 1-2ft range with periods in the 6-9 second range. There’s another glassy moment Saturday the 12th morning—east-southeast at 3 mph and completely clean—but the swell is only 1ft. Not a wave.

The second week stays small. Monday the 14th sees 2ft at 9 seconds from the east-southeast, with light cross-onshore wind. Energy is weak at 52. Tuesday the 15th gets slightly better—3ft at 8 seconds, but again the wind is on or cross-on. The energy reads 98 and 97. It’s the best of a bad bunch, but it’s not enough to paddle out and feel good about it.

The last day with anything on it is Thursday the 17th, two weeks out. Morning shows 3ft at 7 seconds from the east, energy at 100, but the wind is onshore. That afternoon drops to 3ft. After that it dies again.

So here’s the deal: the entire 16-day window at Hooks is pushing out poor surf. There is no standout, no hidden gem. The biggest swell arrives on Tuesday the 8th but the wind ruins it. The cleanest conditions—Sunday the 6th and Saturday the 12th morning—have almost no swell. If you absolutely need a wave, Tuesday the 8th afternoon is the only time you’ll get close to head-high, around 4ft, but it’ll be raw and onshore. Conditions like this don’t last forever; a fairly consistent break like this usually perks up when an easterly groundswell lines up with a light offshore. But as it stands, this stretch looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

Stay patient.

Rusty

Read more