Teahupo’o Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming our way.

Starting now, it’s a bit of a slow burn for Teahupo’o. There’s some small swell (6 ft) from the SSW, but the wind is cross-on and the energy is moderate (1015). The water’s warm at 81°, pretty much average for the season. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The early week (Sunday afternoon through Monday) is a total washout with strong onshore winds and poor conditions. Tuesday and Wednesday stay messy with cross-onshore wind and chop – not worth paddling out.

Thursday the 9th sees the swell drop (3 ft to 3 ft), but the wind turns cross-offshore from the East, and the period stretches to 17-18 seconds. It’s clean, but the energy is still moderate (898-740) and the waves are tiny. Friday the 10th gets a bit of offshore flow from the NNE, but again, it’s small (3 ft) and the energy drops (634).

Now, here’s the good part. The standout window is Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th. Saturday morning brings a clean 4 ft SW swell with light cross-offshore winds and a 14-second period (energy 842). It’s not big, but it will be clean and fun. The real highlight is Sunday the 12th. We’ve got a 4 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 17-second period and light cross-offshore winds. The energy jumps to a strong 1137, and conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the pick – clean, long-period lines on that famous reef. Long waits between sets, but the shape and power will be there. Teahupo’o is a reef break, so that long period works perfectly. Crowds are "often", so expect company.

Into the second week, things get bigger but messier. Monday the 13th has a 4 ft SW swell (16-second period) but with light cross-onshore wind, and by the afternoon the swell jumps to 6 ft with a shorter 14-second period and chop (energy 1435). Tuesday the 14th is onshore and hard to read.

From Wednesday the 15th through to Monday the 20th, the swell size climbs steadily from 8 ft up to a massive 13 ft. The combined energy gets huge (over 4000 towards the end), but the wind is generally cross or cross-off and the periods shorten up (down to 8-10 seconds). This is serious size – only for experts. By Friday the 17th, we’re seeing 10 ft with a short 8-second period and fresh onshore winds – lumpy and dangerous. The weekend of the 18th and 19th is even bigger (10 ft to 12 ft) but with strong winds and short period, making it more of a kite-surfing setup. The very end, Monday the 20th, has 13 ft with strong cross-offshore winds, but the period is still short (10 seconds) and the energy is extreme (over 4000) – a raw, heavy ocean.

So, bottom line: the best bet is the weekend of the 11th and 12th. Saturday for a fun session, Sunday for the real stand-out, long-period glass. After that, it’s all about size and danger, not quality.

Rusty.

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