
Surf Forecasts:
Makaha surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with 546 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Makaha this week:
The surf forecast for Makaha over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 20s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Makaha in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (-05) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Makaha over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's happening at Makaha. Look, straight up, this 16-day window is a tough one. We've got a classic spot—a very consistent reef break that's usually a great option, but the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience. There's no decent surf on the horizon for the first part of the run, so don't bother paddling out unless you just want a float.
We start from Sunday the 13th and honestly, it's pretty grim. The water is a warm 68.4°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's the only bright spot. The swell is coming in from the south at 4.9ft, which is a waist-high possibility, but it's got a short period of 8 seconds and the wind is all wrong—cross-onshore. The combined swell energy is moderate at best (399), but the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. We're looking at a messy cross-chop with no power.
This stays flat and ugly for days. Monday the 14th through to around Monday the 21st is a dead zone. We get some longer period swells (15-19 seconds) pushing in from the southwest, but they're tiny—1.6ft to 3.3ft. That long period means the waves are groundswell, which is *usually* good for a reef like Makaha, but the energy is so weak (combined energy values between 160 and 704) and the wind is constantly cross or cross-onshore. The wave comments are consistently "poor surf conditions" or "marginal surf forecast," and the scores are a flat zero or one. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer looking for some clean-ish wind than anyone paddling. For nearly 10 days, there's nothing to recommend.
Now, we finally get a small glimmer towards the end of the run. Saturday the 26th morning shows a slight improvement. The swell picks up to 3.6ft from the southwest, with a period of 13 seconds. That's still a short period, but the wind turns offshore from the southwest (WSW) at a light 6.2 mph. The combined energy bumps up to a moderate 468. This is the only period that even sniffs at being okay. The wave comment is "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions," but with offshore wind on a reef, if the tide lines up, you might find a couple of clean, albeit small, waves. For beginners, 3.6ft is fine, but don't kid yourself—this is not a standout. It's just the best of a bad lot.
Sunday the 27th morning is similar: offshore WSW wind at 6.2 mph, 3.3ft swell from the southwest, but the period drops to 12 seconds. Again, marginal.
So, the honest truth: there is no real standout session in this entire forecast. The best window is possibly Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th mornings, but you're really grinding for scraps. For a consistent spot like Makaha, this is an unusually long flat spell. The long-range prospects for the very end of the window are a bit more promising, but far from certain. Keep an eye on the forecast; it tends not to stay this poor for long.
That's the story from where I'm standing.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 18°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
272 | 294 | 270 | 370 | 354 | 492 | 427 | 410 | 393 | 308 | 290 | 242 | 199 | 181 | 181 | 210 | 203 | 193 | 184 | 171 | 154 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 7:33PM0.81m | 7:24AM0.75m | 8:17PM0.79m | 7:53AM0.65m | 9:05PM0.76m | 8:20AM0.57m | 10:02PM0.72m | 8:45AM0.49m | 11:18PM0.69m | 9:04AM0.43m | 00:53AM0.69m | 11:32AM0.39m | 2:12AM0.71m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:12PM0.12m | 1:31AM0.25m | 1:40PM0.14m | 2:20AM0.32m | 2:09PM0.17m | 3:16AM0.38m | 2:40PM0.21m | 4:41AM0.43m | 3:16PM0.25m | 7:56AM0.43m | 4:11PM0.28m | 9:34AM0.39m | 5:57PM0.30m | ||||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
— | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 20 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
272 | 294 | 270 | 293 | 270 | 230 | 190 | 410 | 393 | 308 | 290 | 242 | 199 | 181 | 181 | 210 | 203 | 193 | 174 | 171 | 116 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | S 5 | SW 18 |
84 | 77 | 234 | 370 | 354 | 492 | 427 | 151 | 113 | 90 | 68 | 66 | 46 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 115 | 137 | 184 | 29 | 154 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | S 11 | SW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | — | S 24 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 23 | SW 22 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SW 21 | SW 21 | W 13 | W 11 | S 8 | SW 18 | S 7 |
43 | 58 | 42 | 41 | 35 | — | 12 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 42 | 40 | 70 | 71 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 164 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 3 | — | SSW 3 | SSW 4 | S 5 | S 8 | S 8 | S 5 | — | S 6 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 2 | 5 | 12 | 63 | 60 | 19 | — | 30 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 33 | 6 | 33 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lima | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Peru | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Makaha Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Makaha provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Makaha can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Makaha surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Makaha) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Makaha may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Makaha is 2 km (1 miles) from the city of Lima. If you plan a holiday in Lima, look for hotels and other accommodation in Lima. Lima has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










