Makaha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's cooking at Makaha over the next couple of weeks.

It's a tough start, no two ways about it. The first week or so is looking pretty flat and messy. The swell energy is weak, and the wind is blowing straight across or onshore, ruining any chance of clean waves. The first real opportunity to paddle out isn't until much later.

From now through the end of September, it's bleak. Swell heights are tiny, mostly 2 to 3 feet from the south-west, with persistent cross-onshore or onshore breezes. The water temp is a notable 68°F, which is *much warmer than normal* for the season – about 7°F warmer than average. That's unusual. But you won't care about the warm water when you're staring at flat, choppy lines. The combined wave energy is low, in the weak range. This stretch is a total loss for a surf. If you've got a kite, maybe you can get a laugh, but for a surfer, it's a bust.

This poor spell runs all the way from now until the 25th of September. That's a long dry spell.

Things finally show a glimmer of life around Friday the 25th. The swell picks up to about 3 feet in the morning, building to around 4 feet by the afternoon, still from the south-west. The combined energy jumps into the moderate range. It's still marginal with the cross-onshore wind, but at least there's some push.

The day to lock in is Saturday, 26th September. This is the standout. The swell hits a solid 5 feet from the south-west, with combined wave energy in the strong range – 922 in the morning and 993 in the afternoon. For Makaha, a reef break that's very consistent and wide open to a SW swell, that's a proper pulse. The wind is a light breeze, cross-onshore, which is far better than what we've had. It'll be a bit lumpy, but rideable. At 5 feet, it's getting big for beginners, but for the experienced surfers, it's time to go. The period is 13 seconds, a solid groundswell, so there'll be some shape and power. Just know that Makaha is often crowded, and on a day like this, you'll have plenty of company.

The next day, Sunday the 27th, has decent leftovers around 4 feet with similar winds, but Saturday is the main event.

So, here's the deal: the next week is a write-off. Don't waste your time. The only real highlight is Saturday, 26th September, for the bigger, more powerful SW swell. It won't be glassy, but it's the best we've got in this outlook.

Rusty.

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