Little Makaha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty flat and sad. We’ve got a serious lull on our hands. From now through to the morning of Tuesday, August 18th, there’s just nothing doing. The swell is tiny, mostly around 0.7 ft to 1 ft, and the wind is a constant cross-off from the ENE. The combined wave energy is weak, often sitting in the single digits or low double digits (like 6 to 122). The water temp is a balmy 80°, which is pretty much dead average for this time of year, so at least a dip won’t be a shock.

The only break on the cards is Little Makaha (Oahu) , a reef setup that’s consistent and fairly exposed. But with these tiny, short-period leftovers, it’s a no-go. The direction is all over the place (WSW, SW, W, NNW) and none of it matches the optimum swell direction, which is out of the NW. The wind is a steady 15 to 25 mph, which is a moderate to strong breeze, so it’s going to be choppy and messy. Honestly, for the first ten days, it’s a total write-off for paddle surfing.

Now, let’s talk about the light at the end of the tunnel. Things start to look a little more interesting on Tuesday, August 18th. We finally see a pulse of energy arrive. The swell jumps to 5 ft in the morning from the NE, with a combined energy of 250 – that’s moderate wave energy, and it’s a start. The period is only 8 seconds though, so it’s a short-period windswell, which won’t have the grunt of a proper groundswell. The wind is a cross-off at 15 mph, which is still a factor.

This window continues through Wednesday, August 19th, with the swell easing to 3 ft from the NE but still holding moderate energy (130-176). The wind stays a moderate breeze. It’s not going to be epic, and it’s definitely not for beginners – anything over 5 ft starts to get pushy, and this is close. But for someone who’s keen after a long flat spell, there might be a couple of rideable, chunky waves at Little Makaha, provided you can handle the cross-off wind.

The standout here is the Tuesday morning, August 18th session. That 5 ft NE swell is the biggest we’ll see all forecast, and the 250 energy is the highest number in the entire run. It’s the only real swell of note. It’s not clean by any stretch, but it’s the only game in town. After that, it fades back down to the tiny stuff by Thursday the 20th.

So, to sum it up: a very long flat spell, then a brief, marginal window around the 18th and 19th. If you’re desperate, that’s your best bet, but don’t expect perfection.

Rusty.

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