Teahupo’o Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for this stretch of the forecast. We’ve only got one spot that’s on the radar, and it’s a proper world-class beast, so we’ll keep our eyes locked on it.

The next 16 days are all about Teahupoo. The action kicks off as early as this Sunday afternoon, September 13th, with the first solid swell on the table. The water temp is sitting at a pretty standard 79°, which feels about average for this time of year, nothing wild there. The pattern builds from a moderate groundswell into what looks like a serious run of energy, though there’s plenty of wind and weather to navigate.

Let’s start with the best of the best, because there’s one standout window that really gets the heart pumping. Tuesday morning, September 15th, is the pick of the crop. We’ve got a solid 7 ft SW groundswell pumping in with a 16-second period. The combined energy is massive at 2535, and the wind? Glassy as a mirror, coming light SSW. That is a rare, clean morning at the reef. The swell is coming from the SSW, which lines up perfectly with the optimum S direction for the break, and the period is long enough to wrap in with serious power. This is a big boy wave, over 7 ft, so it’s strictly for experienced surfers, and Teahupoo is a reef that demands respect, but the conditions are as good as it gets. It doesn’t get much better than a glassy morning at Chopes.

Heading into Wednesday, September 16th, the swell keeps pumping. Morning sees 8 ft SW at 16 seconds (combined energy 3297), but the wind swings cross-shore from the ESE at 9 mph, so it’s not as clean. By the afternoon, it jumps to 10 ft from the SSW at 16 seconds, a proper heavy water day with energy hitting 3707. That’s expert-only territory, perfect for the big dogs, but the cross-shore breeze will put a bit of texture on the face.

The rest of the first week gets messy. Thursday the 17th through Friday the 18th have rain showers and strong cross-onshore winds picking up to 16 mph, with swell dropping slightly. It’s choppy, lumpy, and the quality tanks. A couple of days to skip unless you’re desperate for a beatdown.

Things clean up again for the weekend. Saturday morning, September 19th, offers a 7 ft SSW swell at 12 seconds with light cross-shore winds from the ESE. It’s clean enough, but the period drops off a bit, so you’re losing some of that deep-water push. By Sunday the 20th, the swell fades to a smaller 4 ft SW with a 10-second period, but the wind turns cross-offshore from the E and ENE, leaving clean little lines for the smaller boards. Combined energy drops to around 557, so it’s weak, but clean.

There’s a notable gap of poor quality from about the 21st to the 22nd of September. The swell holds small, around 4 ft, but the wind is blowing cross-off at 12–16 mph. It’s clean, but the lack of size and energy means we’re not recommending it for a proper session.

Now, looking deep into the second week, there is a big wildcard on Wednesday, September 23rd. The morning shows a solid 7 ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and combined energy rockets back up to 3196. The wind stays cross-offshore from the E at 12 mph, keeping the surface clean. That afternoon, the swell shifts a little, with 6 ft SSW but a longer 18-second period and energy hitting 3580. That’s a very long period groundswell, and at Teahupoo, a reef pass, that long period is a dream. It’s a promising window, but it’s over a week away, so take the call with a pinch of salt.

Thursday, September 24th, keeps the trend with a 7 ft SW swell in the morning (period 16 seconds, energy 2398) and clean cross-off winds. The afternoon drops to 7 ft SSW, still clean with a gentle breeze. Another excellent day for experienced crew.

The final weekend of the period, Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th, looks iffy. Saturday is small and clean enough in the morning (4 ft SW, period 14 seconds), but by Sunday the 27th, a massive 10 ft SSW swell rolls in (combined energy 5131!) with strong cross-onshore winds and rain. That’s heavy, messy, and dangerous for anyone not on a jet ski, and the wind will blow it out. Kite surfers might be looking at that onshore blast with more interest than paddle surfers.

The standout to lock in right now is that glassy Tuesday morning, September 15th. For the long-range, keep an eye on Wednesday the 23rd afternoon for that long-period gem.

Stay safe out there, and respect the reef.

- Rusty

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