Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaking out there for Halawa.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this stretch of the forecast is a tough one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, and honestly, there’s hardly a wave worth paddling for in that whole time. The surf is just not cooperating. The wind is a constant problem. For the first ten days, from Wednesday the 26th of August all the way through to the end of August and into early September, we’ve got a fresh breeze howling out of the E or ENE at 15 to 19 mph, sitting right on the cross-shore or cross-on. That’s pumping a lumpy cross-chop into the water, and the wave quality is shot. The swell is mostly small to moderate, around 5ft to 7ft, but it’s short-period windswell at 6 to 8 seconds, and the energy is all over the place – the combined energy hits 190 to 421, which is moderate to strong, but it’s useless with that wind. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about average for the time of year, but you won’t be feeling it because you’ll be fighting the wind.

The only faint glimmer in this whole outlook shows up on Saturday, the 5th of September. That morning we get a tiny break in the pattern. The wind is still a moderate breeze from the E at 12 mph, working cross-shore, so it’s still messy with a cross-chop, but the swell direction shifts a little to ENE, and the period finally stretches out to 10 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 565 (moderate), and the wave height is around 6ft. The forecast calls it marginal, and that’s being generous. It’s the best we’ve got, but it’s not a standout. It’s a maybe-session if you’re desperate.

Other than that, the whole 16 days is a write-off. If you’re looking for a silver lining, the ENE swell direction is a bit off the optimum for Halawa, which is NNW, and this is a reef/river break that doesn’t like that angle. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” but honestly, you won’t have to worry about that because the surf is poor. There’s a gap of about 10 days from the start with no recommendations, and then a few more days of junk after that 5th of September. It’s a long, blank run. For what it’s worth, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer – the wind is consistent across the board.

Rusty.

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