Hanalei Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a long, hard look at the surf ahead for Hanalei Bay. Gotta be straight with you—it's been a weird one and the ocean is gonna feel a bit off for a while. For this time of year, the water temp is running pretty average, nothing to write home about.

The pattern shaping up is a long run of trades, and honestly, most of the first week is a grind. The swell is pretty weak to moderate (combined energy in the 226-483 range) and it's mostly short-period windswell from the east, coming in at 8 seconds. That's not the stuff that lights up Hanalei. The winds are cross-off from the east, which is rideable, but the waves are going to be a bit lumpy and weak. It's going to be a battle for a couple of waves, not the epic, lined-up point waves you dream about. Thursday the 30th morning is your best bet in this early stretch, with a clean 4ft from the ENE and some clear skies. It’s a solid 2 out of 10 on the quality scale, so don't expect much.

The first few days of August are more of the same. Friday the 31st through Sunday the 4th sees the swell size creep up a bit—getting to 7ft from the east-northeast—but it's still that short, bumpy windswell. That 7ft stuff is pushing into expert-only territory for a spot this exposed, and with the onshores, it’s going to look messy. The energy is building to moderate (846-924 range), but the quality just isn't there for a decent paddle session.

Now, there’s a little glimmer of hope on Tuesday, August 4th in the afternoon. The wind drops a hair, the swell period jumps to 11 seconds, and we see a shift. The combined swell energy hits 502, which is moderate but better organized. The forecast tags it as “expect very good surf conditions.” That afternoon session looks like the standout of the first week. A cleaner, longer-period wave with some push to it. Mark that one.

After that, things get small and a bit funky. The second week is pretty quiet overall. Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are really poor, with thunderstorm risks and surf barely over 3ft. Not worth paddling out.

But then, something interesting happens starting Sunday, August 9th. The swell direction swings to the west, and the period goes very long—13 to 14 seconds. This is proper groundswell. The heights are small for Hanalei, only 2ft to 3ft, but the energy is still moderate (302-433 range). This kind of long-period west swell will wrap in nicely. It’s the classic Hanalei shape on a point break, but the size will be small. The wind stays cross-off.

The best of this late window looks like Tuesday the 11th afternoon (2ft at 14 seconds) and Wednesday the 12th morning (2ft at 14 seconds). These are promising calls for clean, glassy lines. Because the swell is so small, it won't work for everyone, but for a log or a mid-length, it could be pretty special if you pick your tides.

Overall, if you're itching to surf in the next 16 days, flag Tuesday, August 4th afternoon for the best combo of size and quality. For the second week, keep an eye on the 11th and 12th of August for that long-period west swell. It’s promising, but long-range forecasts can shuffle around, so keep the salt in your veins and the hope alive. The breaks are there, just gotta wait for the right window.

Rusty.

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