Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's take a look at what's on the table for Halawa.

This is a reef/river break that's exposed to the north-northwest, so it's picky. Right off the bat, we're looking at a pretty grim run for the first week and a half. From Sunday, August 30th, all the way through to Monday, September 7th, the conditions are just not cooperating. The wind is a fresh cross-shore or cross-onshore breeze, blowing from the east or east-northeast at 18 to 28 mph, and it's turning the ocean into a lumpy, messy chop. The swell is mostly a short-period, wind-driven 6ft to 8ft from the east-northeast, which is not the direction this spot wants. The combined wave energy is moderate, hitting between 340 and 810, but it's all ugly. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

There's a small window of hope on Tuesday, September 8th, with a 8ft to 8ft east-northeast swell coming in with a longer 11-second period. That's a proper groundswell and the energy jumps up to 1204 to 1445, which is strong. But the wind is still a fresh cross-shore or cross-onshore, so it's going to be lumpy and messy. It's a marginal call at best and not worth getting excited about.

Now, the real standout is Wednesday, September 9th. This is the only day worth paddling out for. The swell is a solid 10ft from the east-northeast, with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a very strong 1840 to 1950. But the key is the wind. In the morning, we have a light cross-shore breeze from the east-northeast at 6 mph, but by the afternoon, it swings to a light cross-offshore breeze from the east-southeast. That's going to clean things right up, giving us excellent surf conditions. This is a powerful, groundswell-driven wave, and with that cross-offshore wind, Halawa is going to be firing. The 10ft size is only for experienced surfers, though. It's a reef/river break, so it can handle the long period, and it's going to be clean. The crowds are listed as "sometimes", so you might have some company, but it's worth it.

After that, the outlook fades fast. Thursday, September 10th, drops to a 4ft north-northeast swell with light winds, but the energy is weak at 180, and there's a bigger 8ft east-northeast swell in the afternoon that's short-period and messy. From Friday, September 11th, through to the end of the outlook on Monday, September 14th, we're back to the same old story: fresh cross-shore winds, short-period windswell, and poor surf conditions. The combined energy is mostly weak to moderate, ranging from 86 to 511, and the quality is just not there.

If you're looking for the best, it's Wednesday, September 9th, in the afternoon. That's your window. The rest of the 16-day run is a write-off.

Rusty.

Read more