Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck in. Halawa (Big Island) is the only name on the cards for this entire outlook, and honestly, it’s a rough ride for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a solid window of time ahead, but the surf is mostly messy and the winds are just killing it. Let’s break it down.

Right off the bat, Thursday and Friday are a write-off. We’re looking at cross-shore winds blowing 20 to 30 km/h, and the swell is short-period, around 5 to 8 seconds, coming from the ENE. The wave heights are around 3ft to 5ft, but that’s meaningless with that cross-chop. The combined energy is weak to moderate, reading 100 on Thursday afternoon and 95 on Friday morning, so there’s just no push. Water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so a wetsuit isn't the issue.

The weekend doesn’t get any better. Saturday morning still has that ENE cross-swell at 5ft, but the energy jumps to 236. It’s there, but it’s junky. Saturday afternoon the swell drops to almost nothing—0.7ft with a 6-second period and an energy of just 3. Sunday is similar, with poor conditions hanging on. By Sunday afternoon, we see the swell bump back up to 6ft from the ENE, and the energy jumps to 407, but it’s still a cross-shore mess. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s not going to have any power behind it.

Early next week, Monday through Wednesday, the swell fades again. We’ve got tiny waves, 0.7ft to 1ft, with periods of 7 to 9 seconds. The energy readings are pitiful, down in the teens and single digits. It’s flat and still choppy with those cross-shore winds. This is a dead stretch. We’re looking at a gap of about three days with nothing on offer.

Things start to build again from Wednesday afternoon, but it’s from the east with a short period. By Thursday the 13th, we’ve got 6ft at 6 seconds, but energy is still only moderate at 212. All of this is under a 25 to 35 km/h cross-shore wind, just lumpy and messy. Not a wave you’d want to paddle into.

Then the swell starts to pump. From Friday the 14th into the weekend, we see a serious increase. Friday morning is 8ft, jumping to 8ft by the afternoon, with periods of 7 seconds. The energy is building fast: 502 then 636. By Saturday the 15th, it’s 8ft and 10ft, with energy readings in the 893 to 1013 range. That’s moderate to strong energy. But hold on, the wind is still pouring in from the ENE at 35 to 40 km/h, and it’s all cross-shore. The conditions will be chaotic. By Sunday the 16th, it’s 10ft at 9 seconds, with the biggest energy reading of the whole run at 1288 and 1324. That’s a lot of water moving, but it’s a complete washing machine. This is only for the experts, if anyone even bothers. And honestly, with that wind, it’s far more interesting for kitesurfing than paddle surfing.

Into the following week, Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th, the swell stays in the 8ft to 10ft range with 9-second periods. The energy remains strong, hitting 1200 to 1319. The scores for these days are marginal, the conditions are still cross and lumpy. This is heavy, relentless surf, but it’s just not clean.

Finally, by Wednesday the 19th into Thursday the 20th, it starts to back off. Wednesday morning sees 7ft, and the energy drops to 596. By Thursday, it’s down to 4ft and 5ft, with the energy trailing off. But even then, the wind is still cross-shore, and the waves are messy. The last couple of days, Friday the 21st, we’re back down to 3ft and weak energy.

So, the honest truth is, there is no standout day in this entire 16-day stretch for Halawa. The best bet, if you’re desperate, is probably Thursday the 20th when the swell has backed off to a cleaner size—still not great, but less of a beating. But don’t hold your breath. There are long gaps of poor surf quality and strong winds. This is a bleak outlook, folks.

Rusty

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