Makapu'u Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. It’s gonna be a rough one for Makapu'u (Oahu), no sugar-coating it. The first week and a half is just a mess of strong, onshore wind and poor conditions. There are a couple of glimmers late in the game, but you’ll need to be patient.

From Saturday the 5th right through to Tuesday the 15th, the surf is poor. The swell is hanging around 7 ft to 8 ft from the ENE, but the wind is blowing onshore from the ENE or NE at 15 to 22 mph, just killing it. The water temp is 81°, which is normal for this time of year. The wave energy is strong to very strong early on, with readings like 2360 and 2296, but with that wind, it’s all chop and whitewash. This setup is more for the kite crowd than paddle surfers.

There’s a tiny window on Tuesday the 8th. The wind goes cross-offshore from the S in the afternoon, with a 6 ft ENE swell (11-second period, moderate energy at 1110). It’s called clean, but the morning is still garbage. It’s a marginal call, but if you’re really itching, it might be your only shot before things turn bad again.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions with strong onshore wind until Wednesday the 16th. That morning, the swell drops to 3 ft from the SSW with a very long period of 18 seconds and moderate energy (1176). The wind is still onshore from the ENE at 19 mph, so it’s a tease. This long-period groundswell wants a point or reef to work, but the wind just ruins it.

The best chance comes Friday the 18th through Sunday the 20th. On the 18th, we get a 3 ft SSW groundswell with a 17-second period and moderate energy (925), but the wind is onshore from the NE at 19 mph. Saturday the 19th is similar with a 3 ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and lighter ENE wind at 12 mph. Sunday the 20th morning has a bit more size at 6 ft from the E, 8-second period, with that same light ENE breeze. The energy is moderate at 846. It’s still not great, but this is the best of a bad bunch. The lighter winds might give you a clean wave or two early in the day.

So, the standout, if you can call it that, is the weekend of the 19th and 20th. Saturday the 19th morning looks like the best of the whole forecast. That 3 ft SSW swell with the long 16-second period could produce some clean lines if the light ENE wind holds. It’s still onshore, but it’s the gentlest breeze we’ll get. Don’t expect much, but if you’re determined, that’s your moment.

Rusty.

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