Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the outlook is a tough one for a while. We’ve got a long stretch of messy, lumpy conditions with onshore winds and cross-chop that will make you work for nothing. The swell is there, but it’s short-period, wind-affected junk. From Saturday, August 29th right through to early September, it’s pretty much a write-off. The wind is a fresh breeze from the east or east-northeast, blowing 18 to 19 mph, creating lumpy, cross-shore or cross-onshore conditions. The water temperature is sitting right around 80°, which is normal for this time of year, so no worries there.

The first real spark of hope shows up on the 8th of September. Tuesday afternoon sees a big jump in energy, with the combined energy of all swells hitting 1612 (strong to very strong wave energy). The swell is 10 ft from the east-northeast with a 10-second period. That’s a solid, powerful swell, but it’s borderline expert territory at that size, especially with the wind still fresh and cross-shore. It’s marginal, but there’s potential if you’re a strong paddler. The 9th of September (Wednesday) holds similar energy, around 1340, with a 9-second period and moderate cross-shore breeze, which might be a touch cleaner. Still, lumpy cross-chop will be a factor.

Then we get a real oddball. On the 11th of September (Friday morning), the swell drops to just 0.7 ft from the west, with a long 12-second period. The wind goes light and cross-offshore from the southeast. That’s a clean, glassy window, but there’s almost no wave energy—combined energy is only 10. It’s a tease. The 12th of September (Saturday morning) brings a little more: 3 ft from the north-northeast, 8-second period, and a fresh offshore wind from the south. That’s clean, with 88 combined energy. Saturday afternoon builds slightly to 101, still moderate offshore breeze. That’s your best small-wave window, but it’s tiny.

If I have to pick one standout, it’s really the 8th and 9th of September for the bigger, more powerful swell, but it’s only for the experienced crew. The 12th of September (Saturday) mornings offer the cleanest conditions, but with ankle-to-knee-high waves. Halawa is a reef/river setup, so it’s a spot that can handle a long-period groundswell, but it’s fairly consistent and exposed to the east-northeast, which is where all the messy swell is coming from. Crowds are possible there sometimes, so keep an eye out.

Overall, it’s a long blank run with a few small windows. Hang in there, the forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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