Makapu'u Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for this stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this forecast is a tough one to call. We're looking at a long stretch of onshore wind and messy surf for the most part. The water temp is sitting at about 80° around Makapu'u, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We start off with a real dry spell. From Sunday the 9th through to Saturday the 16th of August, it’s pretty grim. The wind is hammering in from the ENE and NE at 18 to 22 mph, and it's blowing straight onshore. The swell's got some moderate energy in the water (448 to 6438), but it’s all short-period, sloppy stuff between 7 and 13 seconds. The waves are there, but it’s just a messy, blown-out situation. For a spot like Makapu'u, a reef break that likes it clean, this is a write-off. Honestly, with that strong onshore wind and the beach-and-reef setup, this stretch looks more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle guys.

Now, things get a bit of a look in come Sunday the 16th of August. The swell really starts to jack up, hitting 12 ft to 15 ft from the ENE, and the wave energy goes through the roof (4579 to 6438). The period is a decent 13 seconds, so there’s some grunt. But here’s the catch – the wind switches to a cross-onshore from the NNE and N at 18 mph, leaving it lumpy and rough. It’s big, powerful stuff, but the quality isn't there for a good session.

We finally get a window on Monday the 17th of August. The wind drops right back, swinging to a cross-offshore from the SSW at 12 mph. The swell settles to a more manageable 6 ft to 6 ft from the ENE, with a period of 9 seconds. The wave energy is moderate (686 to 920), and the report says conditions are clean. For Makapu'u, this is the standout of the whole outlook. It's not going to be perfect, and it’s only rated as a "marginal" call, but after all that wind, clean surf is a godsend. It’s a fairly consistent break, so there should be waves coming through, but you might have some company as crowds are possible.

After that little taste, the onshore winds return from Tuesday the 18th through to the end of the outlook on Monday the 24th. We're back to onshore ENE winds at 12 to 22 mph, and the wave quality drops right off again. The swell sticks around, mostly in the 5 ft to 8 ft range with short periods of 7 to 8 seconds, but it’s just not going to be clean. There are a couple of days with bigger energy (like Saturday the 23rd and Monday the 24th) but the wind spoils it.

So, to wrap it up: the best on offer in this 16-day stretch is that Monday, the 17th of August. It’s the only day where the wind and swell align to give us clean-ish conditions at Makapu'u. The rest of the period is mostly a right-off for clean paddle surfing. Keep an eye on the forecasts though, things can change.

Rusty.

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