
Surf Forecasts:
Empty Lots surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SSW swell with 826 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Empty Lots this week:
The surf forecast for Empty Lots over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 9s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Empty Lots in the next 16 days are 1.2m 18s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Empty Lots over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’re looking at a pretty tough stretch ahead for Empty Lots. This is a reef break, exposed to the swell, and it likes that SSE direction, but the wind and the waves are just not playing ball for most of this run.
Right off the bat, the water temp is sitting at 81° – that’s pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary.
We kick things off this Sunday morning, the 13th. Tiny swell, only 2 ft out of the SW, but the period is a long 15 seconds. The real problem is the cross-shore wind, so it’s going to be a bit messy. The combined energy is weak (232), and the report calls it marginal. Sunday afternoon sees the wind go glassy with a slight breeze from the ENE, and the swell drops to 1 ft. It’ll be clean as a whistle but barely a ripple. You could get a knee-high one if you’re desperate, but it’s not really surfable.
Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are more of the same. The swell stays tiny, under 3 ft, and that cross-shore wind is a constant issue. The energy picks up a bit Tuesday morning to 620, but the conditions are still lumpy and cross. The forecast is calling it poor or marginal. Not worth the paddle.
From Wednesday the 16th through to the end of the month, we see a slow build in swell, but the wind is our enemy. It’s almost always a fresh cross-shore breeze from the ENE or E, cranking at 18 to 22 mph. That’s going to put a nasty lumpy chop on the surface. By the 17th, the swell bumps up to 6 ft, but with that wind and a short period of 10 seconds, it’s going to be a washing machine. The combined energy jumps into the strong range (1209) but the forecast says “poor surf conditions” – that’s all you need to know.
The 20th of September sees a spike to 6 ft from the E, but with a period of just 8 seconds, that’s a short-period windswell. Combined with the fresh cross-shore, it’s going to be ugly. We finally get a clean window on the afternoon of the 24th, with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is 6 ft from the E with a 9-second period. That’s a lot of energy (879), but the quality is still only marginal.
After the 24th, it’s a long grind of 5 ft to 6 ft waves from the east, all with short periods and a fresh, messy cross-wind. The 28th looks a little better with a 3 ft swell and a longer 17-second period from the SSW, but again, the cross-wind ruins the surface.
Honestly, if I had to pick a standout, and I mean really scrape the barrel, it would be Sunday afternoon the 13th. The swell is tiny, but it’s glassy. You won't get a wave, but you’ll get wet. For the rest of the 16 days, the wind is just too strong and in the wrong direction for Empty Lots to offer anything clean. The set-up with this much cross-shore wind and building swell might honestly be more fun for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. It’s a long, frustrating gap with no real recommendations. Stick to the coffee shop and watch the forecast for a change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 28°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Wed morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 24 | SW 22 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | ENE 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
107 | 84 | 134 | 87 | 227 | 224 | 557 | 480 | 535 | 541 | 541 | 510 | 322 | 614 | 826 | 725 | 675 | 539 | 419 | 512 | 260 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 4:46PM0.48m | 5:51AM0.63m | 5:07PM0.41m | 6:35AM0.62m | 5:22PM0.36m | 7:27AM0.60m | 5:15PM0.31m | 8:35AM0.57m | 10:01AM0.57m | 11:19AM0.58m | 11:43PM0.23m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:21AM0.20m | 10:57PM0.08m | 12:14PM0.24m | 11:18PM0.09m | 1:19PM0.28m | 11:41PM0.11m | 3:06PM0.30m | 00:08AM0.13m | 00:43AM0.16m | 1:55AM0.18m | 8:04PM0.21m | ||||||||||
6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 6:37 | — | — | 6:36 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 22 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | E 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 |
59 | 84 | 134 | 76 | 227 | 224 | 557 | 480 | 535 | 541 | 541 | 510 | 322 | 371 | 826 | 725 | 334 | 539 | 419 | 512 | 223 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SSW 12 | NE 8 | NE 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | E 6 | E 12 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 17 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 16 |
107 | 56 | 18 | 19 | 74 | 68 | 22 | 44 | 38 | 52 | 50 | 72 | 216 | 214 | 10 | 9 | 675 | 66 | 51 | 50 | 260 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | SW 24 | SSW 11 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 10 | W 9 | SSE 8 | S 20 | S 18 | S 18 | SSW 15 |
57 | 20 | 15 | 87 | 23 | 81 | 41 | 58 | 37 | 34 | 31 | 31 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 67 | 162 | 162 | 150 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | ENE 9 | E 4 | E 4 | ENE 8 | E 5 | ENE 5 | E 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 10 | E 9 | E 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
9 | 59 | 8 | 10 | 70 | 18 | 32 | 22 | 36 | 62 | 98 | 158 | 310 | 614 | 506 | 481 | 243 | 287 | 287 | 318 | 257 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 144 | 13 | 144 | 24 | 15 | 21 | 24 | 13 | 21 | 15 | 15 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Oahu | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Empty Lots Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Empty Lots provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Empty Lots can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Empty Lots surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Empty Lots) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Empty Lots may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Empty Lots is 0 km (0 miles) from 'Ewa Beach. If you plan a vacation in Oahu, look for hotels and other accommodation in 'Ewa Beach. 'Ewa Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










