Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long, hard look at what’s on offer for Halawa over the next 16 days. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a rough stretch.

We’re starting with a big fat zero. The first recommendation doesn’t even show up until Monday, August 17th, which means we’ve got a solid week of nothing worthwhile. From Sunday the 9th right through to Sunday the 16th, it’s all poor surf conditions with fresh cross-shore winds and lumpy, choppy lines. The swell that does show is either tiny, or when it does build, it’s blown out by strong onshore winds. Even the bigger pulses on the 15th and 16th, hitting 8ft to 12ft, are completely ruined by onshore wind and stormy conditions. That’s a no-go for paddling. If you’ve got a kite, that Saturday the 15th might look interesting, but for a surfboard, forget it.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday, August 17th. The morning at Halawa (reef/river) is clean with a light cross-offshore breeze from the SW at 9 mph. There’s a 8ft swell running from the NNE, with a moderate period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 1081. It’s a solid, powerful wave, but at that size, it’s better left to the experienced crew. The afternoon sees the wind swing offshore from the S at 16 mph, dropping the swell a touch to 6ft, but the energy is still there at 506. It’s clean, but it’s marginal – the tide might be a factor. This is the first real chance to get wet, but it’s not the standout.

The standout of the whole outlook is Tuesday morning, August 18th. We get a rare window of pure glass. The wind is from the NNE at only 3 mph, described as "glass". The swell is smaller at 3ft with a period of 8 seconds from the ENE, and the energy is moderate at 234. It’s not a big wave, but it’s going to be absolutely perfect, clean, and smooth. If you can get out early, this is the best you’re going to find. Just be aware, Halawa can get crowded sometimes, so get there early.

The water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is spot on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, it’s back to the same old story. From Tuesday afternoon through the rest of the 16-day window, we’re mostly looking at small, lumpy, cross-shore conditions. The 20th and 21st of August have some more swell in the 5ft to 6ft range, but it’s weak, short-period windswell (6 seconds) with fresh cross-shore winds. The energy is moderate, but the quality is poor. The 22nd sees a bigger pulse of 8ft to 8ft, but again, it’s a short-period, messy windswell. Then it fades out to nothing by the 24th.

So, to sum it up: a long, dry week, then a clean but small window on Tuesday morning the 18th is your best bet. The 17th offers some power for the experts, but it’s a one-day wonder. Keep your eye on the forecasts, but for now, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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