Makaha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s going on with the surf over the next couple of weeks.

Overall, it’s a pretty bleak stretch ahead. We’ve got a lot of days where the ocean just isn’t putting out anything worth paddling for. The first real sniff of a wave comes on Wednesday, August 12th at Makaha, but it’s a tough sell. The water temp is running about what you’d expect for this time of year, so no surprises there.

For Wednesday the 12th, we’ve got a 5ft SSW swell rolling in with a 13-second period, giving us moderate energy levels (713). The problem is the wind is cross from the south at 9 mph, putting a slight chop on the surface. It’s surfable, but it’s small and bumpy, and the tide is likely messing with the shape. Afternoon gets a bit smaller and more choppy. Not a great start.

Thursday the 13th morning sees a drop in size to 3ft, but the period jumps to a very long 19 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy (808), but it’s tiny. At a reef break like Makaha, that long period might help it wrap better, but it’s just too small to get excited about. The wind is still cross, so it’s clean-ish but gutless. The afternoon picks up a bit to 4ft with a 18-second period and stronger energy (1066), but the winds pick up too, making it bumpy.

Friday the 14th is more of the same: 4ft from the SW with a 16-second period (1094 energy). The wind is cross-shore, so there’s a bit of texture on the face. It’s not terrible, but it’s not good either. The whole weekend, from Saturday the 15th through Sunday the 16th, is a washout with modest mixed-up swell and cross-shore winds that keep the surface ugly.

Then we hit a real dead zone. From Monday the 17th until Monday the 24th, conditions are mostly poor. The swell tries to come up a bit on Wednesday the 19th, with a 7ft SSW swell and offshore wind from the WSW at 6 mph. That’s the best wind we’ve seen, but the period is a short 9 seconds, meaning weak, crumbly waves. The energy is there (852), but the quality is low. That 7ft size is also starting to push into the range where it’s not for beginners, especially with that short period. Thursday the 20th has a similar setup but smaller.

From the 21st through the 24th, it’s a sad slide into tiny, weak, wind-affected surf. Nothing to recommend.

The best on offer, and I mean the only real standout, is Wednesday morning, August 19th. Makaha will see a 7ft SSW swell with that precious offshore wind from the WSW at 6 mph. The period is only 9 seconds, so it’s a windswell, not a groundswell, but the offshore wind will clean it up completely. It’s the only window of truly clean conditions. For experienced surfers, that’s your window. For beginners, it’s a bit punchy, but the offshore wind will make it feel more manageable. This is a long-range call, so the forecast could shift, but as it stands, that’s the one to circle on the calendar.

After that, it’s a long, slow fade into nothing. The last week of the forecast period from the 22nd onwards is a total blank. Tiny waves, bad wind, no energy. Makaha is a consistent spot, so this dry spell feels a bit unusual, but it happens. The ocean will come back, but not in this forecast window.

Rusty.

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