Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, the start is pretty grim. We’re looking at a stretch where the wind and the conditions are just going to fight us. But there are a couple of windows where things could line up if you’re patient.

The swell energy stays moderate for most of the first week, sitting in that triple-digit zone, with a tiny bump on the 22nd. But that's all gonna be pretty junky. Water temp at Hakalau is a normal 80.6°, so that’s about par for the course.

For the first few days, from Tuesday the 18th through to Thursday the 20th, it’s looking poor. We've got small, short-period swell, 3.3ft to 4.3ft, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or just on it. There’s a brief moment Thursday afternoon where it goes glassy, but the swell is tiny, only 2.6ft. It’s surfable, but you’ll be scratching for any sort of shape. The period is only 7-8 seconds, so it’s weak and messy.

Friday and Saturday, the 21st and 22nd, the wind picks up to a moderate breeze, making things properly choppy. Swell builds a bit, hitting 5.2ft to 6.2ft on Saturday, and the energy jumps up into the moderate zone. But with that cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a washing machine out there. Not worth the paddle.

Sunday the 23rd through to Thursday the 28th is more of the same. The swell hangs around 6.2ft to 6.9ft, and the energy climbs even higher. But the wind stays cross-onshore, and we've got rain showers and even a thunderstorm risk by the end of the week. It’s all poor to marginal. The period is still short, mostly 8-9 seconds, so there’s no real punch to it. This whole stretch is pretty much a write-off for a clean surf.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The first real standout in the whole forecast is Saturday the 29th of August. The swell jumps to 8.2ft in the morning and pushes up to 9.8ft by the afternoon. The energy is strong. It’s still cross-onshore, which is a drag, but the sheer size is a different beast. At that size, and with the east-southeast swell, this is only for experienced surfers who don’t mind a scrap. It’s not going to be clean, but there will be a lot of water moving.

Following that, Sunday the 30th stays big, with 8.2ft waves and strong energy. Still cross-onshore, still tricky. Then it backs off slightly to that 6.9ft to 7.2ft range for the first couple days of September. The period finally starts to stretch out, hitting 10 and even 11 seconds by Wednesday the 2nd. That’s a better sign, but the wind turns cross-shore from the north, which isn't ideal for this spot.

That Wednesday morning, September 2nd, might be the best bet for a cleaner session. You get 6.9ft of east-northeast swell with that 11-second period, and the energy is up there. The cross-shore wind will still be a factor, but it’s not as nasty as the onshore junk we’ve been dealing with. It’s a long-range call, so don't book the day off yet, but it’s got the potential to be the most organized swell in the whole window.

The takeaway? There’s surf, but you’re going to have to work for it. The early weeks are full of wind-affected, short-period slop. The real juice arrives on the 29th, but it’s less about quality and more about size. Keep your eyes on that September 2nd window for something a little cleaner.

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