Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a pretty long haul ahead with nothing much showing for ages, but there is a flash of something proper at the end if you’re patient.

Right off the bat, things are looking grim. From Tuesday the 11th of August right through until the morning of Sunday the 16th, it’s a total write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is howling cross-shore or cross-onshore, and the water is chopped to bits. The combined energy is weak, reading just 19, and it stays poor for days. Wednesday the 12th through Friday the 14th sees the swell pick up a bit, but it’s all short-period, messy ENE windswell with a period of only 6 to 8 seconds, and the wind stays fresh and cross. The energy climbs into the hundreds (223 to 677), but the quality is just not there. It’s lumpy, bumpy, and not worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 15th is a total loss. Rain showers, strong cross-onshore winds at 25 mph, and the swell is either tiny or blown out. The afternoon pumps out a massive 10 ft at 11 seconds from the ENE, with combined energy hitting 2466, but with that onshore wind, it’s a stormy mess. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Finally, on Sunday the 16th of August, we get a glimmer. The morning stays small and clean, but the afternoon is where it’s at. The wind swings to a gentle SE at 9 mph, blowing cross-offshore, and the swell jumps to 18 ft from the ENE with an 11-second period. The combined energy is a massive 6968. That’s strong, powerful stuff. The water temp is about 80°, which is pretty normal for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, the only spot we’ve got in the mix is Halawa – a reef and river setup. This place is fairly consistent, but it’s exposed to the NNW swell, and this big swell is coming from the ENE. That’s a bit of a mismatch. The optimum swell direction for Halawa is NNW, so this ENE swell isn’t ideal. It’s going to be wrapping in, but it won’t be perfect. The crowd profile here is “sometimes,” so you might get a few out, but it won’t be a zoo.

This is a long-period groundswell, which is great for power and shape, but at a reef break like Halawa, it can be a bit too straight and fast. Still, 18 ft is big – only for experienced surfers. Beginners, stay well clear. This is the standout session in the whole 16-day window, but it’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. Monday the 17th through to Wednesday the 26th of August is a desert. The swell drops back to tiny, the wind stays cross, and the energy readings are mostly in the double digits (12 to 354). Nothing worth getting wet for. A long, blank run like this is pretty normal for the area when the trade winds set in.

So, if you’re holding out, set your sights on Sunday the 16th afternoon. Everything else, give it a miss.

Rusty.

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