Ma'alaea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Alright, so straight up, this isn't a period where you're gonna be scrambling for your board every day. The standout window is actually a bit of a slow burner, but we’ve got two distinct pockets of better days.

First up, Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th of August are decent, but only if you're truly desperate. Friday morning is the pick of that little blip. We’re looking at a clean 3 ft of south swell, with a very long period of 14 seconds, blowing in a light cross-off shore breeze. It’s a groundswell, so it’ll have plenty of push, but at that size and period, Ma'alaea will likely be a bit straight and fast. The energy is moderate (324). Saturday morning drops a little to 2 ft, still clean, but not as special. Not a standout, just a little something to wet the line.

Now, the real story starts Tuesday the 1st of September through to Sunday the 7th. That’s where your attention should be. The first standout is Tuesday the 1st. Glassy conditions in the morning, with a 2 ft SSW swell at a very long 18 seconds. The combined energy is moderate, but that period will have it moving with serious authority (373). It’s an inconsistent break, so expect longer lulls between sets, but when those sets come through, they’ll be clean and lined up.

Then we hit the true best on offer: Wednesday the 2nd of September. Glassy again in the morning, with a 3 ft S swell and a very long 16-second period. The energy is a solid moderate (330). This is the moment. Light winds, long period groundswell, and the direction is right for the reef. Crowds are "sometimes" here, so you might have to share, but for this quality, it’s worth it. The water temp is 81°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so a spring suit or just boardshorts will be fine.

Following that, Sunday the 7th of September is another little highlight. We get a morning of glassy conditions and an offshore wind from the SW, with a 3 ft SSW swell at a very long 15 seconds. The energy is strong (441). This is a serious amount of water moving, but the swell direction is a perfect match for the break’s optimum. This one is for the experienced crew. It’s not beginner territory.

After that, the second week from the 8th onwards gets skimpy. There’s a few small, choppy days with onshore winds, and energy drops off sharply. The 11th of September has another glassy morning with a 2 ft SW swell, but it’s small and a bit weak. Not worth the drive.

So, to wrap it up: the standout is Wednesday, 2nd September, with glassy conditions and a clean 3 ft south swell. If you miss that, Sunday, 7th September is the other big ticket, but that’s for experts only. The rest is mostly quiet.

Keep your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty.

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