Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead for the North Shore of Molokai. The only spot on the radar is Halawa, and honestly, it’s a bit of a heartbreaker for the next couple of weeks. The wind is mostly howling from the east and east-northeast, blowing straight across the break, and the wave quality is just not there. We’ve got a long, dry spell with nothing worth paddling out for until the very end of the forecast period.

The first real chance of something decent doesn’t show up until Wednesday, July 29th, and even then it’s only a marginal call. The morning sees a 6ft swell from the east-northeast with an 11-second period, bringing moderate energy (974). The wind is light from the north-northeast and blowing directly offshore, which is a good sign, but the overall call is just “marginal.” It’s a bit of a tease, but not enough to get excited about.

Then, on Thursday morning, July 30th, we get a brief window of something special. The wind goes glassy, dead calm from the south-southeast, which is a major positive. The swell is 4ft from the northeast at 9 seconds, with moderate energy (353). The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about normal for this time of year. This is the one true standout of the whole 16-day window. The glassy conditions will make for clean, smooth faces at this reef/river setup. The swell direction is from the northeast, which is a bit off from the optimum north-northwest for Halawa, but with flat water and no wind, it’s going to be the best you’ll see. It’s a bit of a rare gem, and with the break being fairly consistent, it’s worth a look if you can get there. Keep in mind that with a 4ft swell, it’s fine for intermediates, but it’s not big enough to challenge the experts.

After that, it’s back to the same old story. The wind picks up again, the swell turns onshore and lumpy, and we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing. The energy values get big (over 1900 on the 28th) but with such poor wind and short, choppy periods, it’s more of a mess than a wave. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of the run.

So, to put it simply: don’t hold your breath for the first two weeks. The only real chance of a wave is Thursday morning, July 30th. Get in the water early, enjoy the glass, and make the most of it. The rest of the time, it’s a write-off.

Rusty.

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