Ma'alaea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for our little corner of the lineup.

Right now, the surf is running small and pretty inconsistent, but there’s a bit of a pulse of long-period groundswell that keeps things interesting for the patient surfer. The main energy is coming from the SSW, and it’s got some serious legs on it, with periods hitting 24 seconds early on. That kind of period means the waves will have plenty of push and shape, but at a reef setup like this, it can also mean the sets are a bit lazy and widely spaced. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Wednesday morning the 22nd is the best shot to start the run. The swell is small at 1ft, but with a 24-second period, it’s packing a lot of punch for its size. The combined swell energy is decent (492), and that light NNE cross-offshore breeze will keep the surface clean. It’s a proper long-period groundswell, so it’ll be lining up nicely on the reef. This is the standout session for the whole outlook, but be aware this spot is inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting for the sets.

Thursday morning the 23rd and Friday morning the 24th are still worth a look. The swell bumps up a touch to 2ft and 2ft, with periods still hanging around 18-20 seconds. The winds are light and cross-off, so the surface will be clean. The energy is moderate (506 and 354 respectively), and while the waves aren’t huge, they’ll have that quality groundswell feel.

Sunday morning the 26th is another decent call. The swell is 3ft, which is the biggest we see in the first week, with a 16-second period. Combined energy is 388, and the light NNE breeze keeps it clean. The size is still friendly for most surfers, but the consistency is a bit of a gamble given the spot’s nature.

After that, the energy starts to drop off. From Monday the 27th through to the end of the first week, the swell stays small (2ft to 2ft) and the period drops below 15 seconds. The wind stays mostly cross-off, but the conditions are ordinary. The combined energy drops into the 100-200 range, so it’s weak.

The second week, from July 29th right through to August 6th, is pretty flat. There’s a window on Wednesday morning the 29th with a clean 2ft SSW swell and a nice offshore wind, and then Thursday the 30th offers a little bump in energy (318) but the wind is cross-on, so it’s messy. The rest is a long stretch of poor or very ordinary conditions, with swell heights barely scraping 2ft and combined energy often below 100. It’s a quiet period, and for a spot that’s already inconsistent, this kind of blank run isn’t unusual.

Overall, the best bet is Wednesday morning the 22nd for that long, clean groundswell, or Sunday morning the 26th for the biggest wave height of the forecast. After that, it’s mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more