Little Makaha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: this is a tough stretch. The surf is pretty much flat or tiny for the vast majority of the 16-day window. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with a whole lot of nothing on offer. The first real glimmer of anything rideable doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 30th of July, and even that’s a sad little 1 ft swell from the SW.

The entire first week is plagued by strong cross-offshore winds and energy readings that barely register. The combined swell energy is often in the double digits, like 15 or 42, which is just weak. We’re talking about poor surf conditions day after day. There’s a long gap of hopelessness from the 30th of July all the way through to the 8th of August, with nothing but scraps.

Now, let’s talk about the only spot that’s even in the conversation: Little Makaha. This is a beginner-friendly reef break that’s fairly exposed to the open ocean. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is spot on for this time of year, so no worries there.

The one day that *might* get your heart beating is Wednesday the 30th of July. We’ve got a 4 ft swell from the NE, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy sits at 244 (moderate), so there’s a bit of juice. The wind is a light 6 mph easterly, which is a cross-off breeze. It’s not glassy, but it’s light enough to keep things clean. The catch? The swell direction is NE, but the optimum swell direction for this spot is NW. So it’s not going to be firing perfectly, but it’s the only window where the waves are actually surfable, and the conditions are very ordinary. For a beginner, this is about as good as it gets in this run.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. The wind stays up, the swell drops to nothing, and the energy numbers fall off a cliff. From the 31st of July through to the 7th of August, it’s a total blank run. There’s a slight uptick around the 8th and 9th of August, with some moderate energy readings (107, 206, 211, 253), but the swell height is still just 1 ft to 2 ft and the wind is up. It’s still poor surf conditions.

The 11th of August has one more “surfable but very ordinary” moment, but again, it’s tiny. For the rest of the 16 days, forget it.

So, the honest truth is: there’s no standout session here. The best you’re gonna get is a mediocre Wednesday afternoon at Little Makaha. If you’re a beginner, that’s your window. For everyone else, keep the board in the car and don’t bother checking the buoys for a while.

Stay patient, this kind of flat run is more normal for the area than you’d hope. Forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a tough beat.

Rusty.

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