Kihei Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Kihei Cove (Maui). The water is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much dead average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We’re looking at a solid run of clean, surfable waves kicking off right now. Wednesday morning starts us off with a gentle 3ft south swell, period a very long 16 seconds giving it some real push. The energy is moderate (454), and with a light offshore wind from the NE, the surface is going to be clean as a whistle. That’s a nice little session for a beginner, and the wind stays favorable through the afternoon.

Thursday sees a slight dip in size to 2ft, but the swell direction holds from the south with a 14-second period, and the morning is glassy with a light NE breeze. By Thursday afternoon, the swell bumps back up to 4ft with a bit more energy (413), and the offshore wind swings moderate, so it’ll still be lined up nicely.

Friday looks like the first real standout of this stretch. The morning is clean with 5ft south swell, 12-second period, and very light offshore wind. The combined energy climbs to a solid 584. By Friday afternoon, it’s still 5ft, but the wind picks up a bit from the NNE, keeping it offshore. This is a good couple of sessions for anyone looking for a bit more push.

But the true highlight? Saturday, September 5th. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the SSW, period at 12 seconds, and the wind goes glassy in the morning. That’s about as good as it gets for a clean, forgiving wave at Kihei Cove. The combined energy is a strong 668, and the surface will be butter. Later in the afternoon, the offshore wind kicks in again at 5ft. This is the best on offer for the first week.

Sunday holds size at 6ft, but the wind swings cross-offshore, which is still clean. The energy is getting up there (799), but be aware that the afternoon might see some rain showers, and the wind stays cross-off, so it’s still good but not as glassy as Saturday.

There’s a big change coming on Monday, September 7th. The morning is glassy with a 3ft SSW swell, but the period is a very long 17 seconds, and the energy jumps to 1232. The real magic, though, is Monday afternoon: a 5ft SW swell, 14-second period, glassy wind, and the combined energy hits 1644. That’s excellent surf, but it’s a bigger, more powerful wave. This is for experienced surfers only.

Then things get wild. Tuesday, September 8th, a massive 12ft to 13ft SW swell rolls in with a 15-second period. The energy is enormous (6383 in the morning, 10790 in the afternoon). But the wind is cross-onshore and strong from the south, making it choppy and dangerous. The rating is a zero. This is not for paddle surfing. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surf session.

After that stormy peak, Wednesday the 9th cleans up nicely. The swell drops to 5ft, the wind goes glassy in the morning, and the energy is still a strong 822. That’s a very good session, but the period drops to 9 seconds, so it’s a bit more local.

From Thursday, September 10th, onward, the surf really fades. We’re looking at small waves, 1ft to 3ft, for the rest of the forecast. The energy readings drop to the low hundreds, and the conditions are described as “very ordinary.” There’s a fair gap of several days with no real recommendations. The long-period swells (15 to 24 seconds) in the second week are mostly just tiny, glassy bumps, which might be fun for a longboard or a beginner, but nothing to get excited about.

The only flicker of life in the second week is Tuesday, September 15th, when a 3ft SW swell with a very long 21-second period and glassy wind gives a combined energy of 693. That’s a promising-looking session for a reef break, but it’s a long way out, so take it with a grain of salt.

Rusty out.

Read more