Ma'alaea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, switching to feet and miles for you.

First thing to know—this spot is an advanced reef break, and it's inconsistent. It rarely lines up right, so when it does, you pay attention. The water temp is sitting around 80°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild there.

We start the run on Tuesday the 11th. The afternoon brings a clean 2ft SSW swell with a 14-second period. The wind is a light cross-off from the NE, and the combined energy is weak (296). It’s clean, but small.

Wednesday the 12th is where it starts to get interesting. Morning sees 3ft of S swell, 18-second period, which is a nice long-period groundswell. The wind is light cross-off, energy is moderate (626). The afternoon picks up a bit more energy (713) but the wind picks up too, making conditions a bit more challenging. Thursday and Friday keep that S swell in the 3ft to 3ft range, with periods dropping to 14-15 seconds. The wind is moderate, and the energy drops back to moderate (392-467). Friday morning is the pick of the early days with light winds and clean surf.

Then we hit a rough patch. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are a write-off – strong winds, risk of thunderstorms, and poor surf conditions.

Monday the 17th is a weird one. The morning shows a 5ft S swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it's a mushy windswell. The energy is strong (552), but it's not quality. The afternoon fades to 2ft.

Tuesday the 18th through Friday the 22nd is a stretch of small, mostly ordinary surf. Swells are 2ft to 2ft. The mornings of the 19th and 20th do have glassy conditions, but the waves are tiny. The energy is weak (139-198).

Now, here’s the real standout. The end of the forecast window is where the magic is. Sunday the 23rd brings glassy conditions with a 3ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and moderate energy (457). Monday the 24th is the absolute best of the whole run. The morning is glassy, 3ft S swell, 14-second period, and the energy is strong (660). But the afternoon? That’s the one. The wind goes dead calm, the swell hits 3ft from the S, 15-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1007 – that’s strong wave energy. This is a very good surf call. Tuesday the 25th keeps that energy going with 4ft S swell and clean conditions.

If you’re an advanced surfer and you know Ma'alaea, forget the first week and a half. The real window is from the 23rd through the 26th, but especially Monday the 24th afternoon. That is the one to circle. The swell direction (S) lines up perfectly with what this break needs. The long period (15-18 seconds) means real groundswell energy, but remember, a point break like this handles that long period beautifully. Get on it.

Rusty.

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