Mawi Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards. This run of surf is all about one spot: Mawi. It’s an advanced reef break, and it’s going to be on the menu for a good stretch, but you have to be patient because there’s a fair bit of wind messing with the shape.

The pattern for the next couple of weeks is pretty steady: moderate to fresh cross-offshore winds from the southeast, and a solid, long-period SSW to SW groundswell running the whole time. The swell energy is mostly moderate to strong, hitting three-digit and four-digit figures – think around 2440 (moderate wave energy) early on, and climbing. But there’s a catch: the wind is cross-off, not clean offshore, so the wave faces won’t be as glassy as you’d want. It’ll be rideable, but don’t expect perfection.

For the opening days, Sunday the 23rd through Tuesday the 25th, the swell sits around 5.6ft to 7.2ft, with a period of 15 to 16 seconds – proper groundswell. That’s a decent size but with the cross-off breeze, the quality will be just okay, not a standout. It’s still doable for advanced surfers, but beginners might find the 7.2ft plus the reef a bit too much.

The first real standout window comes on Friday the 28th. We’ve got a solid pulse of swell pushing 9.8ft from the SSW, with a period of 16-17 seconds. The combined wave energy is really pumping at 4876 (strong to very strong wave energy). That’s proper groundswell. It’s going to be big, definitely for experts only. The wind is still cross-off, but at that size, Mawi will have some serious power. Expect long lines, but also long waits between sets. You’ll need to be on your game. There’s also a chance of crowds, so get there early.

After that, from the 29th into early September, the swell backs off a little, staying in the 5.6ft to 7.2ft range, still with that long-period feel. The wind stays stubbornly cross-off, so it’s not going to get truly clean. However, there’s a decent window on the 1st of September: Tuesday morning and afternoon have 7.2ft from the SW with 16-17 second periods, and the wave energy is up around 2696 to 3022. It’s probably the second-best window in the whole run. Still cross-off wind, but the size and period make it worth a look for the crew who can handle it.

Into the second week, around the 4th to the 7th of September, the swell drops back a bit more, to around 4.6ft to 6.2ft. Periods come down to 13-16 seconds, so still decent, but the energy drops off too. The wind remains the same story. It’s not going to be a world-class session, but there’ll be waves if you’re keen. The 7th Monday shows a little bump in period and energy (2384), so it’s not totally flat.

Overall, there’s surf most days, but the cross-off wind is the main issue. The standout is clearly the 28th of August – that’s the biggest, most powerful swell of the run. If you’re an advanced surfer and you don’t mind the wind, that’s the day to be out at Mawi. The water temperature isn’t flagged as unusual, so it’s about average for this time of year.

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