Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. I’ve had a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks, and I gotta be straight with you—it’s looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but don’t go clearing your calendar just yet. The only break on the radar here is Halawa, a reef and river setup that’s exposed to the swell. While it’s fairly consistent, the wind is just not playing ball for most of the run. The water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Let’s start with what’s happening now. The first few days are a write-off. Friday afternoon, August 7th, we’ve got a tiny 4ft swell from the ENE, but that period is a shocking 5 seconds—barely a ripple. The cross-shore wind is howling at 19 mph, and the combined swell energy is a weak 70, so it’s all chop and no hope. That’s the story through to Sunday, August 9th: small, weak, and messy. The swell drops to 1.0ft to 1ft, and the wind stays fresh and cross, so there’s nothing to get excited about.

We see a bit of a bump around Wednesday, August 12th, with the swell picking up to 5ft and then 7ft, ENE, with a period of 6 seconds. The energy climbs to 294 by Wednesday afternoon, but it’s still that same cross-shore wind at 22 mph, making it lumpy. The conditions are still poor, so it’s not a goer.

The middle of the second week, starting Friday, August 14th, we get some serious size—8ft from the ENE, with a period of 8 seconds and the combined energy hitting 740. That’s moderate wave energy, but the wind is a strong cross-shore at 25 mph, and the waves are messy. This is getting into the territory where it’s too big for beginners and only for the brave, but the quality is just not there. It’s a beach and reef setup, and with that cross-shore wind, it’s looking more like a kite-surfing day than a surfing one.

Then, hold onto your boards, because Sunday, August 16th, we see a massive jump. The swell hits 12ft from the ENE, with a period of 9 seconds, and the energy rockets to 1723—that’s strong to very strong wave energy. But, and it’s a big but, the wind is still a strong cross-shore at 25 mph, and the conditions are still poor. That size is expert-only, and with the wind, it’s going to be a washing machine. Monday, August 17th, is the biggest of the run: 13ft from the ENE, period 9 seconds, and the energy is a massive 2331. The forecast even says “marginal” with a score of 1 out of 10. It’s huge, but it’s lumpy and cross-shore. For a reef, that long period swell (9 seconds) is okay, but the wind is the killer.

After that, the swell drops off quickly. Tuesday, August 18th, it’s back to 6ft, and by the end of the week, we’re down to 2ft from the N with a long period of 12 seconds on August 21st. That long period is a groundswell, but it’s tiny, and the wind is still cross-shore at 19 mph.

So, what’s the best of a bad bunch? Honestly, there’s no standout. If I had to pick, the epic-sized swell on August 17th is the most powerful, but it’s blown out. The only real positive is that Halawa is a reef/river break, which handles swell better than a beach, but with that cross-shore wind, it’s just not clean. You’d be better off waiting for a change in the wind. The forecast can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d say leave the boards in the garage.

Rusty.

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