Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be honest with you. We’ve got a 16-day window on the table for Halawa, and I’m looking at a pretty grim picture for most of it. The wave energy is all over the place, but the wind just won’t play ball. There’s a long stretch of nothing and then a couple of sessions that might be worth a look if you’re desperate.

The first few days are a write-off. From Friday afternoon, July 24th, right through to the end of July, it’s all cross-shore and cross-onshore wind, mostly fresh breezes in the 15 to 22 mph range. The swell is there, around 4 ft to 7 ft, but it’s short-period, messy chop. The combined energy is moderate (421 to 238), but it’s totally unsurfable. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so at least you won’t freeze while you’re getting skunked.

Then we hit a dead zone. July 30th and 31st are basically flat with zero energy, and the wind is still howling.

The first real glimpse of hope comes on Wednesday, July 29th. The morning shows a 8 ft NE swell with a 10-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1070 (strong). The wind is a gentle 9 mph from the NNW, which is actually offshore for Halawa, as it prefers wind from the south. That’s a big caveat – the wind is offshore, but not from the ideal direction. The afternoon is a bit smaller, 5 ft, with a light E breeze. It’s rated marginal, and I’d say it’s the only day in the first week that’s even worth a peek. The swell is too big for beginners at 8 ft, and the period is okay, but not great.

The real standout, if you can believe it, is almost two weeks away. On Tuesday, August 4th, we get a pulse of longer-period swell. The morning shows 6 ft from the ENE with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is 1090 (strong). The afternoon gets even better: 6 ft, 12-second period, and a combined energy of 1409 (very strong). The wind is a moderate 12 mph cross-shore from the E and ENE, which is messy, but the long period groundswell will have some real push. This is a proper groundswell, and a point break like Halawa, being a reef/river setup, can handle that period well. It won’t be perfect with the cross-shore, but the energy is there for a session. The 6 ft to 6 ft is a solid size for intermediates.

The crowds are listed as “sometimes” at Halawa, so on a day like that, you might get a few others out, but it won’t be a circus.

For the rest of the first week of August, it’s back to the same old story: cross-shore winds, short-period chop, and poor conditions. The energy stays moderate (214 to 782) but the quality is just not there.

So, to sum it up: the entire 16 days are a struggle. The only two days that offer any kind of hope are Wednesday, July 29th, and Tuesday, August 4th. The 4th is the pick of the lot, with that long-period groundswell, but it’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not a sure thing. For the rest, you’re better off finding something else to do.

Rusty.

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