Ma'alaea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a deep dive into what Maui's waves are doing for the next couple of weeks. Let’s get straight to it.

The pattern shaping up is a quiet one for a while, with small, clean conditions holding for days. The standout window is further out, so keep your eyes peeled for the end of the month.

To start, Ma'alaea (Maui) is the only spot on the radar, and it begins on Tuesday, August 18th, with a long-period S swell pushing in at 2 ft, period 13 seconds. Combined swell energy is moderate (221). The water is a warm 80°, which is about average for this time of year. A light N wind keeps it cross-offshore and clean, but honestly, the conditions are very ordinary. There’s just not enough juice in the water to get excited about. This quiet theme carries through Wednesday and Thursday with tiny, glassy mornings and some long-period groundswell, but the wave heights hover around 1 ft to 2 ft. It’s surfable if you’re desperate for a saltwater fix, but you won't be calling your mates.

Nothing changes until we hit a notable jump around the 22nd. Now, Saturday morning the 22nd brings a glassy start and a bit more energy in the water (combined energy of 366) with a 2 ft S swell. The wind goes glassy, which is always a treat for this break, but the waves are still underwhelming for the effort. The real action doesn't start to build until Monday, August 25th. That morning we see a spike in short-period E swell hitting 6 ft, but it only has a 6-second period, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and messy, and combined energy jumps up significantly (449). The cross-off wind holds it together, making it an option for later in the week over those tiny days.

The absolute standout of the whole outlook is Thursday, August 27th. The swell direction settles into a clean S direction with a 16-second period, offering a groundswell with serious push at 3 ft. Combined swell energy is strong (631). The wind stays cross-off from the NE, giving it that clean, lined-up look that Ma'alaea is known for. It’s still an advanced wave, so don’t be a hero if you’re not ready for fast walls. Expect crowds to be likely because the word will be out.

As we push into the final days, the week starting Sunday, August 30th, becomes the real target. Sunday brings a nice S swell at 4 ft to 5 ft, with moderate combined energy (around 466-528) and clean winds. Monday the 31st is the big one for experts, with a S swell hitting 6 ft and combined energy soaring to 1012. That is strong-to-very-strong wave energy, and the period sits at a moderate 12 seconds. However, the wind picks up to a moderate breeze from the NNE at 12 mph, making it cross-off but a bit wind-affected. This is for the experienced crew only – anything over 5 ft here is for experts only, and at 6 ft it’s a serious challenge. After that, September starts with the swell dropping back, and conditions become marginal with stronger winds and some rain around.

So, overall: the first week is pretty quiet. The true standout is the combination of clean winds and solid S groundswell hitting on Thursday, August 27th, and then another solid but windier pulse for the experts on Monday, August 31st. Plan your time off accordingly.

Rusty.

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