Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – this stretch from July 18th right through to August 2nd is a tough one for Halawa. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but the truth is, there’s not a single session that’s worth paddling out for. The whole period is a write-off for decent surf.

The core problem is the wind. It’s locked in from the east and east-northeast, blowing between 12 and 22 mph, and it’s either cross-shore or cross-onshore for the entire run. That’s creating lumpy, choppy, and just plain messy conditions. The swell is mostly weak and short-period, with a combined energy that often sits in the low two-digit range early on, like 57 and 34, barely registering. Even when the swell picks up a bit, the period is rubbish – mostly 6 to 8 seconds, which is just windswell, lacking any real punch or shape. The water temp is about 79°F, which is pretty average for the time of year, so no drama there.

From Saturday 18th through to Tuesday 22nd, the swell is tiny, around 1 ft to 1 ft, with a combined energy that barely cracks 57. It’s a total non-event. Wednesday 22nd afternoon actually shows zero swell, which says it all. From Thursday 23rd to Tuesday 28th, the swell does build, getting up to 6 ft to 7 ft, and the combined energy climbs into the 200s and 300s, but it’s still that short-period, wind-affected mess. The wave comment is “poor surf conditions” across the board, and the score is zero. It’s just not happening.

Then we get to Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th, and there’s a tease. A longer-period swell arrives from the ENE, with periods of 11 to 12 seconds and a combined energy of 986 and 852 – that’s some serious energy. The swell is 6 ft to 6 ft. But the wind is still a cross-onshore at 12 mph, and the wave comment is again “poor surf conditions.” That’s a real kick in the teeth. That sort of groundswell would be epic at a reef or point, but with the wind against it, it’s just a choppy, blown-out mess. The rest of the run, through to August 2nd, is more of the same: moderate to fresh cross-shore or cross-onshore winds, short-period swell, and a combined energy that’s strong but useless.

Bottom line: there’s nothing here. Not a single standout. If you’re a kite surfer, the strong, consistent cross-shore winds might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a blank run. It’s a quiet patch for the area, but it won’t stay poor forever. Stay tuned, and keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

Read more