MAUI SURF REPORT
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Knowing the Surf conditions is vital to surfing. Predicting where and when
the waves will be good will help us to get the most from our sessions. For
the current wind conditions and the surf report, do what I do and call the
closest surf shop. They will give you the actual conditions. Paddle
boarding, body surfing, bodyboarding, longboard surfing, shortboard surfing,
canoe surfing, wave ski surfing, stand-up paddle surfing, and some of the
ways to enjoy the breaking waves. Before choosing a location to surf you
should know the surf forecast, and you should know the local area where you
intend to surf. Water depth, tide height, rockiness, currents, and other
water users (including marine life), must all factor into whether the spot
will be a good choice. Take care when entering the water anywhere on Maui.
Even if you only want to go wading, there could be more power in the waves
than you anticipate. Keep in mind that not all areas on Maui are patrolled
by lifeguards. So you will not have any rescue if you get into trouble. Also
you should not venture out to a spot without checking with the locals for
any unseen hazards. Take a surfing lesson from a professional instructor.
They can show you haw to negotiate the wave zone and help you avoid many of
the common missteps that novice surfers make. There are also surf-guides
that will show you where it is good to surf and how to navigate a new surf
spot.
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| TIDE HEIGHTS: The tides are affected by the moon's position, relative to the earth and sun. The earth's rotation makes the tides move around the earth on a daily basis, which means that they will arrive at different locations at different times. The moon phase determines whether the tidal range will be big (spring tides) or small (neap tides). Springs occur at full moon and new moon, while neap tides occur at first quarter and last quarter moon phase. Every lunar month there are two sets of spring tides and two sets of neap tides. Tide predictions are made from decades of observed data, at given locations. The data is usually given in tide charts which help mariners to anticipate the rise and fall of the water level at their location. The tidal data observation point on Maui is located at the Kahului harbor. The tide times for other areas are given with corrections to the Kahului charts. TIDAL RANGE: Hawaii has a small tidal range varying from 1.5 to 2.5 feet difference from low to high tide heights. TIDAL FREQUENCY: There are two high tides and two low tides every lunar day (24 hrs 50mins). High tides and low tides are 6hrs12.5mins apart. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| STORM SURGE: The predicted tidal heights are affected by low pressure "storm" systems that create less surface pressure, and cause higher than expected tides. During a hurricane there can be a large storm surge that can add up to twenty feet to the high tide level. This will of course be very destructive as the sea level rises above break-walls and sea walls causing the inundation (flooding) of the land. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SWELL CREATION: The waves we experience in Hawaii are the result of storms (lows) hundreds or thousands of miles away. The more intense the low, the stronger the winds and the more powerful waves that may be generated. The strong winds blow across the surface of the ocean (called a fetch), for several days generating waves that become swell. The swell travels along in the same direction as the wind that created them. Swells can travel great distances across the deep oceans without losing too much energy. Until they start to hit shallow water near the islands. When the swell hits shallow water it may cause the swell to turn towards shore in a process called refraction. Refraction will cause the swells to wrap around the islands and give a variety of waves. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SWELL SHADOWING: The factors that affect waves are many, the direction of the waves depends on the angle (vector) of the fetch, that created them, then also depends on "shadowing" behind neighboring islands, then refraction (bending/wrapping), and diffraction (spreading) around the islands due to changes in water depth. Swell height is calculated by the average height of the significant Swells in the sets. Some waves will be larger than the forecast height of the waves. Swell heights and wave interval gives important information to the overall power and quality of the resulting waves. The swells will be pushed up into much higher waves depending on the shape of the shoreline that causes them to break. A steep shelf/reef or shoreline will cause the wave to gain height quickly. A narrowing bay will also intensify the wave height and power. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SWELL FORECASTING: Surfers and meteorologists track the storms in the north Pacific and the south pacific, that may generate a significant swell. The larger storms that persist for the longest will create the biggest waves. A good indication of the storm's ability to create waves is the wind strengths in the storm. Waves will be generated parallel with the isobars surrounding the storm. When the isobars are closely packed there will be strong winds, and when they are pointing at the islands, there is a good chance that a swell will be heading our way. Surfers use the weather feature map to look at the storm systems that produce the swells. Then there are a network of offshore weather buoys that uplink motion data to satellites. These "Waverider Buoys" relay the information to us about the size (wave height) and duration (period) of the waves as they pass underneath the buoys. Watching the buoys will tell the surfer how the swell is progressing toward the island. There are also powerful computer wave models that extrapolate the data and tell the story of how the wave motion may be anticipated. Once the waves encounter the ocean floor close to the islands they will be affected by refraction, reflection, diffraction, and interference. The computer models can predict the behavior of the waves as the pass through the island chain. There are some graphs of the island swell shadow lines, to help the forecaster predict which swells will be caught at different locations on the island. There is a swell direction model that shows the predicted effect of the islands on the incoming swell. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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January - One of the coolest months, cold fronts from
the Northwest bring showery weather, with this month the wettest of the
year. Clear and warm days prevail between these showery periods.
Tradewinds blow only 42% of the time, compared with July’s 95%. One of
the months to see snow on top of our 10.023 foot Haleakala…which
sometimes occurs. Large surf impacts the North and West shores. Sea
water temperature averages about 75 degrees F. January averages for
different locations on Maui Lahaina 82-64 F. (27.8C-17.8C) 3.49″
precipitation Hana 79-64 F. (26.1C-17.8C) 9.45″ precipitation, Kahului
80-64 F. (26.7C-17.8C) 4.14″ precipitation, Kahului % of possible
daytime sunshine: 69%.
February - One of the coolest months, with showery weather episodes…..mixed with warm, and sunny days. Light winds generally, but some of the strongest winds of the year reported in the winter month of February. Medium to large surf on North and West shores. Snow falls on Haleakala some years. Tradewinds blow on the average 55% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 74 degrees F. February averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 80-63 F. (26.7C-17.2C) 2.35″ of precipitation Hana 79-64 F. (26.1C-17.8C) 6.83″ of precipitation Kahului 80-63 F. (26.7C-17.2C) 2.87″ of precipitation, Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 73%.
March
- Spring brings increasingly strong Northeast tradewinds, and more showers
on the windward sides from Haiku to Hana, and on the upper West side
from Napili to Kaanapali. Kihei and Lahaina are generally warm and
sunny. Winter storms lose their influence on Maui later in the month.
Tradewinds blow on the average 61% of the time. Surf still up frequently
on the North and West shores. Sea water temperature averages about 74
degrees F. March averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 83-64
F. (28.3C-17.8C) 1.79″ of precipitation Hana 79-65 F. (26.1C-18.3C)
9.54″ of precipitation, Kahului 81-65 F. (27.2C-18.3C) 2.72″ of
precipitation Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 72%. May - Summer starts early on Maui, and May is getting quite warm. The tradewinds are blowing most of the time on the windward sides, but carry less clouds and showers then in April. Winter storms are completely absent….leeward sides are summer-like. Tradewinds blow on the average 86% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 76 degrees F. (25.6C). May averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 85-67 F. (28.9C-18.3C) 1.05″ of precipitation Hana 80-68 F. (26.7C-19.4C) 8.95″ of precipitation Kahului 84-67 F. (27.8C-18.9C) .62″ of precipitation, Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 58%. June - Summer is here, with warm and sunny days. June is the driest month of the year. Tradewinds blow almost everyday. The hurricane season begins this month, but rarely will a tropical system come close to Maui in June. Tradewinds blow on the average 91% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 77 degrees F. June averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 87-68 F. (30.6C-20.0C) .09″ of precipitation Hana 83-69 F. (28.3C-20.6C) 3.85″ of precipitation Kahului 86-69 F. (30.0C-20.6C) .27″ of precipitation, Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 79%. July - Summer fully engaged weatherwise, with warm to very warm temperatures. Fortunately the tradewinds temper the summer-time heat. These cooling and refreshing winds keep Maui feeling comfortable during the long warm summer months. Very infrequently a tropical storm may move close to the area giving sticky weather and showers. Summer is when Maui sees small -medium size waves rolling onto the South facing shores from Lahaina to Wailea. These waves are generated in the Southern Hemisphere down near New Zealand…where winter storms “down under” send waves 1000’s of miles….to arrive here as South swell. Tradewinds are blowing on the average 95% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 78 degrees F. July averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 88-69 F. (31.1C-20.6C) .17″ of precipitation Hana 88-70 F. (28.3C-21.1C) 5.60″ of precipitation, Kahului 87-71 F. (30.6C-21.7C) .38″ of precipitation Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 69%. August - Warm, sunny to partly cloudy days are the rule for August. Tradewinds are still fanning the island with great regularity. Occasionally a tropical storm or Hurricane will get close enough to Maui to cause our winds to stop and the humidity to rise to uncomfortable levels, though it is unusual. Small-medium size waves continue to be at times a problem…in that, the South shores, where these waves impact, are the same beaches that the visitors (who often are not used to waves of any size) are at play and sunbathing. Persons should be careful during these periodic high surf events. Tradewinds are blowing on the average 94% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 79 degrees F. August averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 88-69 F. (31.1C-20.6C) .18″ of precipitation Hana 84-71 F. (28.9C-21.7C) 5.62″ of precipitation Kahului 88-71 F. (31.1C-21.7C) .49″ of precipitation, Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 73%. September - The weather continues to be very warm, the height of summer here in the tropics. Some of the highest temperature readings of the season occur in this month. Tropical Storms and Hurricanes rarely enter Hawaiian waters, but this is the month when they come the closest and are more apt to affect the weather on Maui. Normally they stay far away, but when they get close enough to the island, they make the residents uncomfortable with the muggy atmosphere they produce. Hurricane Iniki entered into the adjacent waters, and impacted the island of Kauai in September of 1992. Tradewinds blow on the average 83% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 80 degrees F. September averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 89-70 F. (31.7C-21.1C) .34″ of precipitation Hana 84-70 F. (28.9C-21.1C) 5.38″ of precipitation Kahului 88-70 F. (31.1C-21.1C) .35″ of precipitation, Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 62%. October - This is the month that temperatures begin moderating from summers high heat a little! Tradewinds also begin to fade from the island weather scene. In some years, Maui begins to see the first winter-like storms that are far out to sea in the North Pacific……they sometimes can produce the first large waves of the season. Occasionally one of these early winter storms will send a weak cold front through the islands, which can cause a few showers. This month is still mild and dry. Tradewinds are blowing on the average 71% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 79 degrees F. October averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 88-69 F. (31.7C-20.6C) 1.09″ of precipitation Hana 83-70 F. (28.9C-21.1C) 7.02″ of precipitation, Kahului 87-69 F. (30.6C-20.6C) 1.23″ of precipitation Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 60%. November - Generally a transition month between summer and winter, with weather of both seasons common. The first real winter storms to the North and NW send down a cold front or two, with some showery spells, especially after the middle of the month. Winter storms also more regularly send large waves onto the North and West shores. Temperatures begin to dip noticeably (before you start packing your down jackets….please realize that when I say “dip down”, I mean from the high 80’s down to the middle 80’s! November in some years begins the rainy season. Tradewinds are blowing on the average 64% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 77 degrees F. November averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 86-67 F. (30.0C-19.4C) 2.15″ of precipitation Hana 81-68 F. (27.2C-20.0C) 8.67″ of precipitation Kahului 84-68 F. (28.9C-20.0C) 2.59″ of precipitation, Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 67%. December - A winter month on Maui, with fairly frequent cold fronts sweeping over the island, bringing showery periods, with sometimes gusty winds. Still, December has its fair share of warm and balmy days as well! Medium to large surf is very common on the North and West shores of the island. One of the wettest months of the year, with some rainy days….although the areas around Kihei and Lahaina on the leeward sides of the island see less moisture than do the wetter windward sections in general. Tradewinds are blowing on the average 57% of the time. Sea water temperature averages about 76 degrees F. December averages for different locations on Maui Lahaina 83-65 F. (28.3C-18.3C) 3.20″ of precipitation Hana 79-66 F. (26.1C-18.9C) 6.05″ of precipitation, Kahului 81-66 F. (27.2C-18.9C) 3.27″ of precipitation Kahului % of possible daytime sunshine: 58%. Source: Maui Weather Today |
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| www.mauiweathertoday.com Local meteorologist Glenn James gives his weather interpretations for the Hawaiian Islands, with specific info on surf conditions and windsurfing conditions. |
Hawaii Weather Today
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