Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. Looking at the numbers for Halawa, and I’ll be honest—it’s a bleak start. There’s nothing good on offer for the first week or so. The first real chance for a wave doesn’t pop up until Monday, August 17th. That’s a long dry spell.

Overall Pattern

For the first 16 days, the wind is mostly a cross-shore breeze out of the east-northeast. The early swells are tiny, weak, and from the wrong direction. Water temp is about normal for the season, sitting near 80°F. There’s a massive pulse of energy around August 16th, but it’s coming with rain, thunderstorms, and strong onshore wind—pushing 4 to 5 feet of messy windswell. That’s kite-surfing territory, not for a paddle surfer.

The One to Chase – Monday, August 17th

The only true standout is Monday morning, August 17th. Halawa is a reef and river break that’s fairly consistent, and it’s exposed to the swell. The optimum direction is from the NNW, but we’re getting a clean 6 feet from the ENE with a moderate offshore wind out of the south. That offshore wind is gold—it’ll keep the surface glassy. The combined swell energy is moderate, at 546. It’s an intermediate-level wave, and at 6 feet, it’s not too big for most. The crowd factor is “sometimes,” so expect a few others in the water. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s a short-period swell, but with that clean wind, it’ll still offer some fun shape. This is your one real shot.

The Rest of the Forecast

Monday afternoon drops to marginal conditions with light cross-shore wind. From Tuesday, August 18th, through to the end on August 24th, it’s back to small, weak, and messy. Swell heights are barely 1 foot, and the winds stay cross-shore and fresh. There’s another bump in energy on August 24th with about 7 feet from the ENE, but it’s cross-shore and lumpy, so not worth getting excited about.

So, if you want to get wet, circle Monday morning, August 17th on your calendar. That’s the one.

- Rusty

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