Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've gotta be straight with you – the outlook for the next sixteen days is a tough one for us surfers around Hikkaduwa. We're looking at a solid run of what I'd call "poor surf conditions" on the cards, with no real standout sessions to get excited about. The onshore wind from the west is pretty much a constant, and it's not doing us any favours.

Let's start with the big picture. The main wave energy we're getting is from a south-southwest direction, which is about as far from the optimum southwest as you can get. The water's sitting at a warm 83°, which is about average for this time of year.

The first couple of days, from Thursday the 27th of August, the swell is there but it's messy. Thursday morning you've got a 6ft swell from the SSW with a long 19-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 2783 (moderate to strong wave energy). But the wind is onshore from the west at 15 mph, and with those risk t-storms, the quality is just not there. It's a write-off. The afternoon doesn't get any better – 5ft, 17-second period, but still onshore wind.

We roll into Friday the 28th and it's more of the same. A 6ft, 15-second period swell in the morning, but again, the wind is onshore from the west and the conditions are poor. By Saturday the 29th, the wind swings to cross-onshore, which makes it even choppier. The swell drops a bit to 4ft, but it's just not worth paddling out.

Sunday the 30th brings a bit more energy with a 5ft, 19-second period swell in the morning, and the combined energy jumps to 1854. But the west wind is still onshore, and the risk t-storms hang around. The afternoon gets cross-onshore again. The pattern continues through Monday the 31st, with a 8ft, 18-second period swell – that's getting up there for size, but it's all blown out by the onshore wind.

The first week of September is a blank run. From Tuesday the 1st to Sunday the 6th, we see swell heights ranging from 4ft to 7ft, but the wind is never favourable. The "poor surf conditions" tag is a constant. The wave energy sticks around the 500 to 2400 range, but it's all for nothing with that wind.

The second week doesn't offer any relief. From Monday the 7th to Friday the 11th of September, the swell drops off significantly. Heights are down to 2ft to 4ft, and the combined energy is mostly under 600 (weak wave energy). The wind is still onshore or cross-onshore from the west. On the 9th of September, we see a 2ft, 17-second period swell, which is a long period but tiny. It's just not enough.

So, the honest truth is, there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. The consistent onshore wind from the west is the killer. It's a tough run for Hikkaduwa, but these things happen. The good news is that it tends not to stay poor for long, and forecasts can change. For now, I'd say it's time to look for something else to do, or maybe clean the wax off the deck.

Rusty.

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