Ma'alaea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's take a look at what Ma'alaea has cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the big picture. This is an inconsistent spot, and honestly, the first few days are pretty ordinary. There's nothing to get too excited about right out of the gate. We've got a long 16-day window here, but only a couple of those windows are really worth paddling out for.

The water's sitting at 80°, a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so that's a nice bonus. The early period is full of small, weak swells. Thursday afternoon the 20th has some tiny 2 ft swell from the SW, a 17-second period giving it some long lines, and it's glassy, but the energy is weak (169). It's surfable, but nothing to write home about. The next couple of days are poor to ordinary, with small swell and cross-shore breezes.

Saturday morning on the 22nd is a bit better. We've got the same 2 ft from the SSW, a 16-second period, and glassy conditions. The combined energy is starting to build a bit (339), and the comment says "expect good surf conditions." This is probably the best of the first week, but it's still small.

Then we have a gap of a few days with nothing amazing. Monday afternoon on the 24th throws a curveball. A short-period 6 ft pulse from the east (only 6 seconds) rolls in with a risk of thunderstorms. That's a messy, bumpy wave and too big for beginners, but it's more for experts if they can handle the onshore chop.

The real standout, the one that's got me perking up, is the Thursday morning on the 27th of August. This is the best on offer. The swell jumps to 3 ft from the S, a long 17-second period, and it's clean with a light cross-off breeze from the NNE. The combined energy hits a solid 659 – that's moderate, but you'll feel that energy in the water. It's a reef break that loves a south swell, and with that long period it's going to draw some nice lines. It's advanced-only, and it *sometimes* gets crowded, so you might have some company. Friday morning the 28th also looks reasonable with 2 ft and clean conditions.

After that, we tail off again. Late August and into September the swell drops back to tiny 1.0 ft to 2 ft junk. The morning of Wednesday the 2nd of September has a little bump to 2 ft from the SSW with a 17-second period and glassy conditions, with decent energy (443), so it's worth a look for a small-wave session.

Overall, this is a tough one. Ma'alaea is inconsistent for a reason. The best swell of the window is that Thursday the 27th, but even then, it's for the experienced crew. If you're a beginner, this whole period is a wash. The "good" conditions are fleeting and small. If you're a kite surfer, the bigger, windier days like the 24th afternoon might actually be more your scene.

Rusty out.

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