Teahupo’o Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty checking in from the South Pacific.

Right now, things are a bit of a mixed bag. The big news is we’ve got a solid, long-period groundswell working its way in, but the wind is going to be a real factor. The water is sitting at a pretty standard 79° for this time of year, so nothing unusual to worry about there.

We kick off Tuesday the 21st with some serious energy in the water – about 8ft of swell from the SSW, and the combined energy is pumping at 4897. That’s a heap of juice. But the wind is a cross-shore from the ESE at 16 mph, which is putting a bit of a chop on the face. It’s a bit of a battle for the first day or so. The period is a very long 18 seconds, which means those sets are going to be heavy and have plenty of push, but the cross-chop makes it tricky.

Things start to clean up on Wednesday the 22nd. The wind swings more cross-offshore from the E, and the morning is looking clear. The swell drops a touch to 8ft, but the period is a massive 19 seconds. The energy is still huge at 5348. This is where the big boys come out to play. The conditions are cleaner, but at this size, it’s strictly for experienced surfers only. Anything over 8ft, and this reef is not playing games.

Thursday the 23rd is a standout. The wind gets properly offshore from the NE in the afternoon, blowing at 22 mph. The swell is still a solid 7ft from the SSW with a 16-second period. The power is still intense (2492), but that offshore wind is going to be grooming the waves into perfection. For the experts, this is the session to aim for.

By Friday the 24th, the swell starts to drop. Morning is clean with 5ft from the SSW and a cross-off breeze, but the energy is fading (960). The afternoon gets messy with a cross-shore wind change and a risk of thunderstorms.

We hit a bit of a lull from Saturday the 25th through Monday the 27th. The swell drops under 7ft, the wind turns onshore, and the periods are shorter. It’s not a total loss, but it’s not the Teahupoo we know. The energy drops to under 1200, and the onshore winds are putting a chop on things.

Now, here’s the real promise. We get a window of absolute glass. Starting Tuesday the 28th, the wind goes light and cross-offshore from the E. The swell is small, around 3ft to 4ft, but it’s clean. This is more of a longboard or funboard session, but the conditions are perfect.

The real highlight of the whole forecast lands on Wednesday the 29th. The afternoon shows 7ft of SSW swell with a 14-second period, combined energy of 1775, and the wind is practically dead from the E at 3 mph. This is as good as it gets for intermediate to advanced surfers. The wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and I’m backing that. This is the day to clear your schedule.

Thursday the 30th keeps the swell running at 8ft to 8ft from the SW, but the wind starts to get a bit cross-shore again. Still clean, but not as perfect as the day before.

The first week of August sees a drop in swell size, but the wind stays favorable. It’s a smaller, cleaner period for the mellow crew.

So, to wrap it up: if you’re a charger, you want to be in the water Thursday the 23rd for that offshore wind on a solid 7ft swell. For the best all-round conditions, Wednesday the 29th afternoon is the absolute pick of the 16 days. The rest of the time, you’ll be picking through a mix of big, windy days and small, clean ones.

Rusty.

Read more