Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve had a good look at Halawa’s 16-day window, and I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a rough run. The whole period is dominated by a persistent cross-shore wind, mostly from the east and east-northeast, blowing at 18 to 28 mph, sometimes even stronger. That’s a fresh to strong breeze, and it’s smashing the surface to chop. The swell is coming from the east-northeast as well, which is not the optimum direction for Halawa – it really wants it from the northwest. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.

The first few days are a write-off. From Saturday the 29th of August right through to the end of the first week, every session is marked as “poor surf conditions.” The combined wave energy is moderate, ranging from 218 to 506, but it’s all messy. The swell height hangs around 5ft to 7ft, but with that short, weak period of 6 to 8 seconds and the cross-shore wind, it’s just lumpy, bumpy, and unrideable. There’s no change in sight.

The second week doesn’t offer much hope either. The same dirty wind pattern persists. By Saturday the 5th of September, the swell jumps up to 10ft to 12ft, and the combined energy spikes to 1373 to 1752 – that’s strong wave energy – but the wind is a strong breeze, and the cross-shore chop is messy. This is not for paddle surfing; honestly, with that much power and wind, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing.

There is a tiny glimmer on Wednesday the 9th of September, where the morning session gets a “marginal” rating, with a 8ft swell from the east-northeast, period 9 seconds, and the wind drops a bit to 15 mph. The combined energy is 1184, so there’s juice. But it’s still cross-shore, and the break is inconsistent. It’s a real long shot.

The very end of the forecast, around the 12th and 13th of September, sees a complete drop-off. The swell goes tiny – 1ft – with a long period of 14 seconds from the west-northwest, which is actually the optimum direction. But the combined energy is weak, barely 58 to 72, and the wind is still a fresh cross-shore. It’s not going to break properly.

So, to be honest, there are no standout days. Not one. The best you could say is that Wednesday the 9th of September morning might be worth a look if you’re desperate, but it’s marginal. The break is a reef/river mouth, and it’s exposed, but with the wind and swell direction so wrong, it’s just not happening. A blank run like this is more normal for this area when the trade winds lock in.

Stay patient, mate. It tends not to stay poor forever, but this window is a write-off.

Rusty.

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