Little Makaha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the table for the next couple of weeks at Little Makaha. It’s a bit of a wait, so grab a coffee.

The first half of the 16-day forecast is basically a write-off. We've got a persistent, strong cross-offshore ENE wind that's just going to mess up any swell that tries to show. The water temperature is sitting at a warm 79°, which is about average for this time of year, so that's no excuse.

We're looking at a solid gap with no good surf at all until around Saturday the 11th. Up to that point, the swell is either too small, short period, or just blown out. The combined wave energy is weak to moderate at best – we’re seeing readings in the low hundreds (266 to 376) but it’s all poor quality. From Monday the 6th into the 10th, there are pulses of 6ft to 6ft NE windswell with a short period of just 7-8 seconds, but that nasty 19-22 mph cross-off wind will shred it. Not worth a look.

Things start to perk up just a little on the 11th and 12th. We'll see the combined energy building up into the high 300s (365 to 392), with chest to head high NE windswell at about 4ft to 5ft. It's not groundswell, but the wind does ease back to 15-16 mph. It’s still cross-off, so expect bumpy faces, but the better tides might make it just marginal. It’s not a stand-out, but it’s the first real chance all week.

Now, if you've got patience, the real stand-out window is Monday the 13th through Wednesday the 15th. It’s not big, but the quality shifts. A solid long-period SW groundswell arrives Monday afternoon, with a 15-second period and moderate wave energy (368). Combined with a much lighter 9 mph cross-off breeze, we’re talking clean lines. The swell direction from the SW is opposite to the break’s optimum (NW), so it won't be perfect, but a long-period groundswell like that wraps well into reef setups and produces proper shape. Expect head-high waves.

Then into Tuesday the 14th, a WNW groundswell with a 16-second period keeps the energy solid (313), and again the easterly wind stays under 13 mph. This is the best combo of the whole outlook. The waves will be long, clean, and have plenty of push. It’s a consistent spot, so there will be waves, but it does get crowded often. Keep in mind, long-period swells can break a bit straight on beach breaks, but Little Makaha is a reef, so it should handle it well.

By Thursday the 16th, the energy drops back off and the wind picks up again, so the window closes. The second week is definitely the one to target.

Overall, there's a tough start, but a promising few days in the middle. The SW and WNW swells from the 13th to the 15th are the only real highlights. Get out there on Monday the 13th afternoon if you can sneak away.

Rusty.

Read more