Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for the Hikkaduwa area over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I gotta level with you – this forecast is a tough one to swallow. We're looking at a long stretch where the conditions are just not cooperating. The whole period is plagued by a persistent onshore wind regime and frequent stormy weather. The only break on the books is Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa), and it's a real advanced-level reef setup that's fairly consistent, but it's going to be a battle.

The water is sitting at a warm 84°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so you won't need a thick suit. That's about the only good news.

We kick off Sunday the 6th with a 3 ft swell from the S, period around 10 seconds, and some clouds overhead. The energy is moderate (381), but with a solid 9 mph WSW wind blowing onshore, the surf is just poor. It's the same story through Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th. The swell drops a little, but the wind stays on it, and by Tuesday we're dealing with risk of thunderstorms. The swell energy ramps up a bit on Tuesday (715), but with that onshore wind, it's all messy.

Wednesday the 9th through to the end of the first week sees the wind picking up even more, hitting 16-16 mph from the W and WSW, and the swell starts to build. We're looking at 4 ft to 5 ft swells from the SSW with periods getting long, around 14-18 seconds. The combined energy is climbing into strong territory (1295 to 2424), but the wind is cross-onshore or onshore, making it choppy and lumpy. This is not a paddle surfer's friend; with that much wind and a beach-reef setup, this looks more like a kite surfer's window than anything else.

The second week doesn't get any kinder. The wind stays relentless at 16 mph, sometimes gusting to 19 mph. The swell continues to pump from the SSW, with heights pushing 8 ft to 8 ft and periods hitting 19 seconds on the 18th. The combined energy is very strong (over 4000), but it's all stormy. For a reef break, an 8 ft swell with a 19-second period is serious, groundswell energy. It would be lining up perfectly if the wind were right, but it's not. The onshore and cross-onshore winds are going to chop it up, making it a dangerous and unenjoyable situation, even for experts.

There's no standout session here. The only thing that comes close to a highlight is the massive energy on the 18th (Friday) with an 8 ft SSW swell, but with 16 mph onshore wind and thunderstorms, you'd be a fool to go out. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing throughout this entire period. I'd say hang up the board for a bit and wait for the forecasts to change.

Rusty.

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