Ma'alaea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Ma'alaea over the next couple of weeks.

Straight off the bat, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The first few days are pretty underwhelming, with only tiny waves on offer. There's no real start to the surf until we get into the second week. From around Tuesday the 14th of July, we start seeing some cleaner conditions and better potential, but even then, it's never going to be massive. The standout period looks to be Wednesday the 15th of July into the weekend, with some lovely glassy mornings.

So, let's get into it. Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th of July are really just for the die-hards. We've got 3 ft of SSW groundswell on Monday morning, dropping to 3 ft by the arvo, with a long period around 15 or 16 seconds. That long period stuff can be a bit tricky here, but the real killer is the 12 to 15 mph NE cross-off wind. It's bumpy and not much fun. The combined energy is moderate (451 on Monday morning), but the quality just isn't there. Wednesday the 8th of July morning is a tease – glassy conditions with 2 ft of swell from the SSW, but the wave energy is weak (192) and the commentary calls it "very ordinary".

The big gap is from Thursday the 9th through to Sunday the 12th. On Thursday, we see a 4 ft E swell with a super short 5-second period. That's just wind slop and not worth paddling out for. The wind is light or glassy, but the waves are junk. Friday the 10th has a blip with 5 ft E swell in the morning, but again, the period is a miserable 6 seconds and the wind is onshore. That's a beach-break nightmare, and combined with the rain, it's a definite pass. Saturday and Sunday are tiny again, with 2 ft to 2 ft SW swells, and the wind is a consistent cross-off. Not our time.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Tuesday the 14th of July morning is a beauty. Glassy conditions, light NNE air, and 2 ft of SW groundswell at 14 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (322) and the surf reports say "expect good surf conditions". This is it, folks – the first real winner. It won't be big, but it will be clean and fun.

Then, Wednesday the 15th of July is our absolute standout. Morning glass with a 1 ft SSW groundswell and a very long 18-second period. The combined energy sits at a solid 313, which shows there's plenty of push for the size. Light offshore winds from the N and the report says "expect good surf conditions". This is pure, clean, long-period goodness. Perfect for a reef like Ma'alaea. The afternoon holds up too, with light winds and the same long-period groundswell, giving us moderate energy (330) and good conditions.

Thursday the 16th of July afternoon also looks tidy, with 2 ft of SSW swell at 15 seconds and moderate energy (360) and decent conditions.

After that, we're looking at a final blip on Friday the 17th of July, but it's a bit of a weird one. That morning is tiny (1.0 ft), but the afternoon brings a sudden 6 ft, 6-second E swell. That short-period energy is going to be a messy, bumpy wall of whitewater, and with 6 mph winds, it's not going to be fun for paddling. It might be more interesting for the kite crew than anyone else.

The last few days are small and unremarkable, with the odd clean morning but very little wave face.

So, bottom line: if you can wait, Wednesday the 15th of July is the pick of the fortnight. Glassy, clean, long-period groundswell, and just enough energy to get a good one. Tuesday the 14th is a close second. Don't bother with the first week or the weekend before – it's a write-off.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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