Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – this outlook for the next 16 days is a tough one to write. We're looking at a long, dry spell with very little to get excited about.

Let's start with the only spot on the cards, Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa). This is an advanced reef break, and it's exposed to the swell, but it's rated as "fairly consistent." The problem is, the conditions just aren't lining up for us. The water temp is sitting at 83°F, which is about 2°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so it's a bit muggy but not crazy.

We kick off on Wednesday, July 22nd. There's a bit of swell in the water – 4 ft from the S with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 678. But the wind is coming from the W at 9 mph, which is cross-on, making it choppy. The surf report calls it "poor surf conditions" and that's what it looks like.

From there, it's a grim run. For the rest of July and into the first week of August, the pattern is the same. We get pulses of S and SSW swell, some with decent periods over 15 seconds, like the 21-second groundswell on the 29th of July, but the wind is consistently a problem. It's almost always a cross-on westerly breeze, and often picking up to 12-16 mph, which just ruins the surface. The combined energy climbs into the strong range (over 1000) on several occasions, but it's all for nothing with that chop. The "risk tstorm" weather is a recurring theme too, which adds to the messy vibe.

Because of the constant onshore and cross-onshore wind, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The waves will be there, but they'll be a mess.

There is a gap of several days with no real improvement. The best we can point to is the morning of Sunday, August 2nd, where we get a 5 ft WNW swell with a 10-second period. The wind is onshore but lighter at 19 mph, but it's still a "fresh breeze" and the combined energy is moderate at 929. It's a very marginal call, and still not a standout.

The reality is that in this 16-day window, there are no good surf options. The forecasts can change, but right now, it's a blank run. That's just how it goes sometimes.

Stay patient,
Rusty

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