Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s cut through it. The next 16 days for Halawa are a real test of patience. The first few days aren’t worth the drive, let alone the paddle.

First Surf Window (September 1 - 7)
You’re looking at a lot of junky, cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions. The first couple of days have some size, 7ft from the ENE, but it’s short-period windswell and the cross-onshore breeze is making a mess. The energy is moderate, but it's all over the place. It’s not going to be a clean wave. The 2nd has a bigger pulse on the morning (8ft), but it's still cross-shore and rough. By that afternoon, it flat lines to almost nothing, which tells you how all over the place the windows are. The 3rd and 4th of September are basically a write-off – flat and windy.

From the 4th afternoon, we start to see some proper energy. A long-period groundswell from the ENE starts to build with periods pushing 12-13 seconds. This is the real deal, with wave heights around 7ft. The combined energy numbers are strong (1602, 1718, 1557), so there’s plenty of power. But the wind is still cross-shore, and it still looks messy. It’s too big and unruly for beginners, and for everyone else, it will be a battle. The water temp is about normal for the season.

Cleaner, Smaller Window (September 7 - 8)
The morning of the 8th is our first real break. The wind drops to a gentle breeze from the ESE, giving a cross-off that will clean up the lines. The swell drops to a manageable 4ft from the NE with a 9-second period. The report says "expect good surf conditions." This is the pick for the first week, but it’s not huge. It’s a good, clean, fun size day for the average surfer.

More Mess and a Final Hope (September 9 - 16)
It gets lumpy and messy again for the next few days. Fresh cross-shore winds and a mix of swells keep things poor. The 11th and 12th have 5ft waves from the ENE, but the period drops, and the wind is up, which makes it a closeout. The 13th and 14th are short period and weak, so just a chop-fest.

But then there's a little light on the 15th afternoon. The wind goes light from the ESE, turning cross-off again, and we get a clean, small wave from the NNW at 2ft with an 11-second period. That looks clean. Then on the morning of the 16th, we have the standout. A true offshore wind from the SSE at just 3 mph, with a 4ft NNW groundswell at 12 seconds. The energy is solid (415), and the report says "expect good surf conditions". This is the one to wait for. It will be glassy, with some push. This will be the best surf of the fortnight by a long way.

You gotta be willing to wait until that 16th, but that morning looks like it could be well worth it.

Rusty.

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