Teahupo’o Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so I’ll break it down straight for ya.

First off, the early part of the week is looking pretty average. Wednesday morning, July 8th, we’ve got a 5 ft SE swell running at 11 seconds, but the wind is cross from the ESE at 16 mph, putting a chop on the surface. The combined energy is moderate (537), but the quality is just not there. It’s a marginal call, not worth paddling out for. The afternoon doesn’t improve much – same story, just a bit smaller at 4 ft and still cross-choppy.

Thursday, July 9th, brings a shift. We’ve got a long-period groundswell from the SSW, coming in at 3 ft in the morning and 3 ft in the afternoon, with a period of 17-18 seconds. That’s proper energy, with the combined swell energy reading 1041 and 1023. The wind swings around to ENE, giving us a cross-offshore breeze, which cleans things up nicely. The water temp is a warm 80°F, which is about average for this time of year. Teahupo’o (a reef break) is the standout here for those that know the wave. It’s a very consistent, advanced-level wave. The long period means the sets will have a lot of power and will line up well on the reef, but it can be a bit tricky to get into the rhythm. Expect some proper barrels if you’re on it.

Friday morning, July 10th, is the best of the early run. The swell drops slightly to 3 ft from the SSW, but the period is still a solid 16 seconds. The wind is offshore from the NNE at 19 mph, giving you a clean, glassy face. The combined energy is still strong at 691. This is a window for the experienced crew to get some clean, deep ones. The afternoon sees the wind swing cross-offshore, and the swell eases, so Friday morning is the one to aim for.

The weekend gets messy. Saturday, July 11th, starts with a 3 ft WSW swell, cross-offshore wind, but by the afternoon it goes cross-onshore and choppy. Sunday, July 12th, the swell jumps to 6 ft in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon from the SW, but the wind is onshore and cross-onshore, making it lumpy. The energy is high (1586-1707), but the conditions are poor. This is more for the kite surfers than the paddle crew.

The following week, starting Monday, July 13th, the swell stays up, but the wind is mostly onshore from the SSW. The morning of the 13th has a 5 ft, 16-second SSW swell, but it’s onshore, so it’s messy. The afternoon sees a big 8 ft swell, but it’s poor. Tuesday, July 14th, is similar – big swell (7-8 ft), but onshore wind. The energy is very high (2390-2564), but the quality is poor.

The middle of the week, July 15th and 16th, gets even bigger with 7-8 ft swells from the S, but it’s accompanied by light rain and cross-onshore winds. The energy is massive (3038-3420), but it’s just a choppy, lumpy mess. Not a paddling session.

The weekend of July 18th and 19th, the swell starts to drop back a bit. Saturday morning, July 18th, has a 8 ft S swell with a cross-onshore breeze, but a gentler wind. The energy is still strong (2035). It’s marginal, but there might be a few waves if you’re desperate. Sunday the 19th is similar, dropping to 5 ft in the afternoon.

The final push, July 20th to 23rd, sees the swell stick around at 6-8 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore for most of it. The energy stays moderate to strong. Thursday, July 23rd, the swell finally drops to 3 ft from the SSW, but the wind is cross-shore and choppy. It’s a poor finish.

So, overall, the standout sessions are the Thursday morning, July 9th and Friday morning, July 10th. The long-period SSW groundswell, combined with clean offshore or cross-offshore winds, makes those windows the best for a proper Teahupo’o experience. The rest of the forecast is a mix of onshore winds and big, messy swell. Be patient and wait for that Thursday or Friday window.

Rusty out.

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