Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of consistently poor conditions, so don’t get your hopes up for any standout sessions. The water is sitting at 83°, about 1° warmer than the long-term average, so it’s on the warmer side for the time of year.

The whole period kicks off with some very average surf. On Monday the 13th, you’ve got a weak 6ft swell from the west, but with a short period of 7 seconds and a moderate cross-onshore breeze at 25 km/h, it’s choppy and messy. The combined energy is only moderate (892), so there’s not much power behind it. That afternoon, the swell drops to 4ft from the south, period jumps to 12 seconds, but the cross-onshore wind at 20 km/h still kills the quality. It’s a marginal call at best.

Tuesday the 14th is more of the same – 4ft south swell, 11-second period, 25 km/h cross-onshore winds in the morning, and even though the wind goes onshore in the afternoon with a clean 3ft swell from the SSW at a very long 16 seconds, the conditions are still poor. The entire first week, from the 13th through to the 19th of July, is plagued by moderate to fresh breezes from the west, with cross-onshore or onshore winds, and every session is rated as poor or marginal. Swells hover around 3ft to 4ft, with periods of 13 to 16 seconds, but the energy is weak to moderate. The consistency is fairly consistent for the break, but with these winds and the fact it’s a reef setup, it’s just not coming together.

We hit the second week, and on the 20th of July, the swell picks up – 4ft from the south with a very long 18-second period, and the combined energy jumps to strong (1405). But again, cross-onshore winds at 25 km/h spoil it. The 21st and 22nd keep the same pattern: 5ft south swells at 14 to 15 seconds, still cross-onshore or onshore winds, so the surf is poor.

By the 23rd, there’s a shift – a 6ft swell from the WNW with a period of 10 to 11 seconds, and the energy stays strong (1249 to 1481). But the wind is still onshore or cross-onshore from the west at 20 to 25 km/h, and the reef never gets clean. The 24th and 25th offer similar 6ft west-northwest swells, but the wind is relentless.

The last few days, from the 26th to the 28th, drop back to smaller 3ft to 3ft swells from the SSW with long periods of 14 to 18 seconds, but the wind is still onshore or cross-onshore, and the conditions never improve. There’s one session on the 28th where the energy gets moderate (1031 to 1096), but with 30 km/h winds in the morning, it’s a no-go.

In short, there’s no true standout in this 16-day window. It’s a long run of poor to marginal surf, with the wind always ruining the lineup. If you’re desperate, the 20th might have the most size and period, but it’ll still be a battle. Save your energy – forecasts can change, but right now it’s looking like a blank run.

Rusty.

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